Clarity
by TheWheelofFate
Summary: "You are the piece of me I wish I didn't need. Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why. If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy? If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?" Sequel to 'Walk the Path Stained with Light'.
1. Without a Trace

**Hey there! Once again, I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed Walk the Path Stained with Light. **

**Secondly, I would like to point out that I am editing/writing this story, so updates will be super slow until I can find time and inspiration. SCHOOL IS KILLING ME! I have started this story over at least 3 times because of writer's block. Nothing I do seems to work, so hopefully soon it can start flowing and I can update again. **

**This first chapter is the prologue, so it's pretty short. LightMidnight: Thanks for your recent review! I had a plan to explain that, but then I decided that it would make more sense if he wasn't her father. I was also confusing myself lol.**

_There's a good chance that I've made too many mistakes to ever redeem myself_

_But if I spend my whole life trying to fix the past_

_Then I might as well give up hope of happiness and the will to go on_

_I'd rather find fulfillment in what I am than be lost in what I'll never get back._

Kakashi woke up to a slight breeze blowing his silver locks around. It was late morning, and even though he'd had a chance to sleep in, he couldn't enjoy it. It had been a restless night, but he'd managed to finally fall asleep. He normally wouldn't have gone to bed without knowing Kaiya was safe at home, but with the outburst she had the previous night, it didn't surprise him that she hadn't returned by the time he'd fallen asleep. Kuro Kensei appeared to him around two a.m. and promised to find her, so against his better judgment, he succumbed to his exhaustion.

Kakashi blinked, rubbing his neck as he stretched and turned toward the open window, lowering his eye.

He'd closed and locked it last night.

Pushing his sheets aside and standing to his feet, Kakashi approached the window and examined it closely. The curtains were pushed back, and the window was opened just enough for a small person to slip through. _Did Kaiya come back through my window?_ That wouldn't have seemed so strange, except for the fact that she wouldn't have been able to unlock it from the outside.

He couldn't help but be suspicious, but he decided to check Kaiya's room before he came to any conclusions. He knocked softly on the door, just in case she was still asleep. "Kaiya," he called through the door. "Are you awake?" When no answer came, Kakashi's brows furrowed, and he pushed it open. "Kaiya, I know you're angry…" His sentence faded when he saw that the room was empty. Her bed was made and her window locked, so he knew she didn't sneak out. The light flooding through the window hit a metal surface, giving off a reflecting glare.

Kaiya's forehead protector.

Kakashi's eye widened as he approached her bed slowly, surveying the folded headband. She always wore it when she went out, and she'd always kept it in the drawer beside her bed when it wasn't in use. _Something isn't right…_ Kakashi searched her room carefully for any sign of where she might be. He opened her closet and noticed that a few outfits were missing. Since she was good about keeping up with her laundry, there shouldn't have been any reason for a few to be gone. A few other small things were missing, like her backpack, blanket, her brush, and some random toiletries.

Kakashi frowned under his mask. He was starting to get nervous, remembering what she told him the night before.

_"I don't want to stay here with you anymore."_

_"I hate you, and everyone else in this stupid village! I don't want anything to do with the Leaf anymore. All it's caused me is heartache."_

That was the last time he saw her. Did she really run away? No, that was impossible… Kaiya would never resort to such a thing. Besides, where would she go? Asuma's? One of her teammates' homes? The Nara compound? Surely she was still in the village. She wouldn't leave the only home she's ever known.

Would she? He'd made that mistake with Sasuke, believing he would stay. He didn't want to take a chance with her.

Kakashi quickly dressed and headed to the training grounds. Empty.

He went to Ichiraku Ramen. There were a few customers there, but Kaiya wasn't one of them.

No matter where Kakashi went, he couldn't find Kaiya anywhere. He asked her friends on the occasion he ran across them, but they hadn't seen her either. He tried not to sound alarmed, but he was getting anxious. He went to Ronin, who was training Kioko and Usagi. They'd given up trying to convince Kaiya to come back to team training, so for the time being, it was just the two of them. While the girls were busy, Kakashi appeared, asking to speak with the young sensei.

"No, I haven't seen her," Ronin told him with a shrug. "It's been about a week or so, I think. You've checked everywhere else—including the Uchiha Estate?" Kakashi nodded, closing his eye as he let out a discouraged sigh.

"The only place I haven't looked is the Hokage Mansion," he answered. He saved it for last, just in case he wasn't able to find her; he'd have to report it to the Hokage—as the worst-case scenario. As he feared, it had come to that. Ronin's eyes narrowed, and he bowed his head in thought.

"Maybe she just needed some air and took off into the woods for a few days or something." _Although…she would've left a note, even if she was angry. _He tried not to think of the worst, but as he studied Kakashi, who had almost always remained cool and collected in a crisis, he was beginning to worry. "In any case, we should inform Lady Tsunade. Maybe a couple of the ANBU making their rounds spotted her."

Ronin dismissed Usagi and Kioko for the day then headed to the Hokage's Mansion with Kakashi. The two of them were silent as they hastily made their way to the large, red building overseeing the village. They absentmindedly glanced around them, hoping that Kaiya would be amongst the faces that passed them by. Ronin's heart was heavy, and he could only imagine how much more Kakashi's weighed.

Tsunade was in her office finishing paperwork when she heard a pressing knock on the other side of her door. Her lips curved into a frown. "Enter." Her eyes lowered when she saw Kakashi and Ronin walk in together, a sort of urgent seriousness evident in their eyes. Tsunade knew that if the two of them came into her office, it could only be for one reason. "What happened?" she questioned. Kakashi and Ronin shared a look, before the silver-headed Jonin took a step forward.

"Lady Tsunade, I have something to tell you." Tsunade bit her thumb pressingly as she ushered them further inside. They stood before her desk, tense and edgy.

"It's Kaiya, isn't it?" she guessed. Kakashi nodded heavily, his eye lowering.

"It appears she isn't anywhere in the village," he explained. "She left her headband on her bed, and a few of her things are missing—things she used for travel. She never came home last night. At least, not while I was awake."

"Hmm." The Fifth closed her eyes to think for a moment. "Do you think there's a chance she might have followed Sasuke after all?" Kakashi's visible eyebrow furrowed.

_"Kakashi? What would you do…if I chose Sasuke?" _

"She wouldn't wait this long to do that, would she?" Ronin wondered, incredulous. "I mean, his trail is long gone by now, and unless she knew the exact location of Orochimaru's lair, she couldn't possibly…" Kakashi clenched his fists, indicating to the other two in the room that he knew more than what he was letting on. "What is it, Kakashi?" The latter stared at the wooden floorboards guiltily as he let out a deep sigh.

"Last night, Kaiya was angry; I've never seen her so upset. She said things like she hated me and everyone in Konoha, and she didn't want anything to do with the village anymore." Ronin's and Tsunade's eyes widened. "She ran out after that, and I haven't seen her since. She knows it's too risky to go after Sasuke now. I don't think that's the case."

"So she's just wandering aimlessly to who-knows-where?" Ronin clarified. Kakashi nodded.

"It's a possibility," he answered. "I doubt she has anywhere to go, and she doesn't know the land outside our borders well enough to navigate it on her own. She may not have anywhere in particular she wants to be…just anywhere other than here." Tsunade growled, slamming her fist on her desk, almost breaking it in two. She stood from her desk and called Shizune into her office loudly.

"Y-yes, M'Lady?" The Hokage's assistant rushed in, fearing she'd done something to upset her. When she caught sight of Kakashi and Ronin, her personal fear subsided, but her alertness rose substantially. "Don't tell me this is about—"

"I want the ANBU to search the perimeters around the village, as well as the nearest towns within three days travel from here. Tell them not to rest until they find Kaiya Umachi and bring her back to the village immediately. Is that understood?" Shizune stiffened, nodding her head.

"Yes!" When she ran off to deliver the command to the ANBU, Tsunade turned her attention back to the two men.

"Don't breathe a word of Kaiya's disappearance to anyone," she ordered. They nodded. "I don't want rumors to spread, though word will eventually get around that she's gone. Until the ANBU find her, go about your daily routines as if nothing's happened. If they can't find her trail, then maybe she'll come to her senses and return shortly. If not, well…I'm not really sure what we're going to do. Let's just hope Orochimaru doesn't get word of her leaving."

Kakashi closed his eye, gritting his teeth as he fought to keep his emotions down. "Lady Hokage, I think you should know something else." Tsunade frowned. "Kuro Kensei came to me late last night and told me he'd talk to Kaiya. I was skeptical, but I was hoping that he could talk some sense into her. I wasn't thinking about it earlier, but just now I had a thought: What if Kaiya is—"

"With Kuro." Tsunade crossed her arms and turned to look out of her window at the people hustling about on the verge of noon. Tapping her foot, she cursed under her breath before turning back to the two Jonin. "It wouldn't be beneath him to do something like this. His trail is hard to follow. It could be months—even years—before we catch him. If she's with him, they're long gone by now."

"That sneaky bastard said he was going to do whatever it takes to get Kaiya out of the village," Ronin remembered. Kakashi nodded in agreement as he recalled the same thing.

_"I intend to take Kaiya out of this village one way or another, so don't be surprised when you wake up one day to find her gone. I will train her; she will become powerful enough to kill both Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha and put an end to their cursed clan once and for all. Before either of them becomes too strong, Kaiya must become stronger. She won't be tempted to follow either one of them down the paths of destruction that they walk."_

"He's going to train her," the silver-headed Jonin added.

"Damn that Kuro. He was already two steps ahead of us, and now…"

"What do we do, Lady Hokage?" The latter looked up at Ronin blankly for a moment, before letting out a sigh.

"I won't label her a missing-nin," she decided uncertainly. "Not unless she gives me a reason to. Kuro, however, is a different story. Until then, there's nothing we can do other than keep an eye out for either one of them. At least she's in capable hands and not roaming around alone like a walking target. Kuro will protect her; that I'm sure of." Kakashi closed his eyes, his hands trembling at the thought of Kaiya being gone for good. How could he ever face Naruto or Asuma or anyone else? He was responsible for her, and he couldn't handle that duty. It would haunt him forever.

_Whenever you're gone away_

_The darkness hides the day_

_Whenever you're gone, the bleeding won't stop_

_It hurts until you come back_

_Everything goes black._


	2. Runaway

**Hey guys! So, if you didn't already notice, I updated the first chapter of this, so if you haven't read it, you should go back and do so. It's the prologue for this story. It's been a while, and I appreciate the reviews I've gotten on my stories since I finished 'Walk the Path Stained with Light.' As I said before, updates will be slow, but since Christmas break is coming up soon, I'll be able to update a few chapters. Note: If you haven't read the end of Naruto, don't read the next part of the author's note.**

**So...how 'bout that Naruto ending? *tears* It didn't quite satisfy me, at least it left a lot of things unanswered, like what happened to Orochimaru, Kabuto, Jugo, Karin, Yamato, and Suigetsu. But I was happy that Kakashi was Hokage, and then of course the epilogue with them all grown up. The couples were pretty obvious to me...except for Choji and Karui. That was REALLY weird. And then there was Kiba and Tamaki. I honestly didn't even know she was canon until recently. -_- But holy crap Naruto and Sasuke blew each other's arms off 0.o And I have to say that Obito became one of my favorite characters at the end. That was a pretty epic fight against Kaguya. Sigh...now what am I going to do with my life? Guess I'll have to wait for the last movie and the next manga that's apparently coming out soon. :D**

**Ok, spoiler alert over. Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving (if you celebrated it). **

_Come back home, won't you come back home_

_You step in line, you've got a lot to prove_

_It comes and goes, it comes and goes_

_A step in time, it's a lot to move._

Sweat trailed behind her as she ran swiftly along the river, following the current through the vast valley of the canyon; ancient walls of rock surrounded her on either side, stretching at least one hundred feet tall and one hundred miles wide. Her dark eyes focused ahead, her teeth clenched, pushing herself to go even faster as her cloak flew behind her majestically; despite her speed, the hood managed to stay in place on top of her head, obscuring her face from view.

_Come on…I've got to get away from these bastards._

Increasing her speed significantly, she was sure this time that she had escaped her pursuers for good. She was highly mistaken.

There were four of them—four Leaf ANBU who had been chasing her for days. They were running alongside each other the entire time, never missing a beat. And damn, were they _quick_. It was like they ran on batteries that never died.

Two of them ran in front, two in the rear. The first two made hand seals simultaneously.

"Water Style: Twin Dragon Bullets!" Out of the river came two large dragons with yellow eyes, side-by-side. And what's more, the ANBU were _riding_ them. The water shifted beneath her feet, and she turned back, cursing under her breath.

"Damn it! They just had to be water-natured, didn't they?" Breathing heavily, she willed her feet to keep moving, even though they felt like they were about to melt right off of her ankles. _I can't keep this up much longer. I'm reaching my limit._ The two dragons, along with their passengers, rushed at her with incredible speed that would soon catch her. Doing the only thing she could at the moment, she made hand signs. "Earth Style: Rock Wall!" Rocks shot up from the water, creating a protective barrier that shielded her from her pursuers.

Or so she thought.

This time, the two rear ANBU, each one of which was riding on one of the dragons, made the same seals concurrently. "Lightning Style: White Armor!" they shouted in unison. _Of course…it would be water- _and_ lightning-style, my two weaknesses._ Just before the water dragons collided with the wall of earth, the dragons gained speed, and lightning ignited around them, surrounding them like a shield. Her eyes widened as she looked behind her in time to see the wall of rock explode from the impact. The blast threw her into the air; she cried out as she was slammed against the wall of the canyon.

She let out a breath of pain as her back collided with the sharp ledge, knocking the wind out of her as she fell to her knees. She was bleeding in several places, including her temple, corner of her mouth, and her right shoulder. Breathing heavily, she watched blearily as the four men approached her slowly, stopping a few inches from where she sat in a crumpled heap.

"Ready to give up?" the first one asked, crossing his arms. All she could see was his brown hair sticking up around his bear mask; his muscles were firm and bulky. The second one, a young man about a head shorter than the first with long, black hair that hung loosely around his shoulders pulled out a kunai from his weapons pouch. He was slightly slimmer than the first; his arms were well-toned, but wiry.

"You're all out of juice, and you're injured. So what are you going to do now?" he questioned. The girl frowned, pushing herself to her feet, despite the pain it caused her.

"Did the Hokage send you all the way to the Hidden Cloud just to catch little ol' me?" She smirked wryly, wiping away the blood that was now dripping down her chin.

"Enough. You're going back to the Leaf immediately." The first one pulled out his katana slowly. "And if you resist…" The second one nodded, holding up his kunai. The two in the back were silent, standing by with crossed arms. "We're going to have to take you by force."

"I wonder about that," the girl said with a small chuckle. "You're wasting your time. I'm never going back there." The first officer frowned behind his mask, pressing the katana to her sternum threateningly. She stiffened and pressed her back against the canyon wall. The dark-haired officer grabbed her good arm firmly, while the other hung loosely at her side. Once the katana was removed from her chest, he pressed the kunai against her throat, though he didn't remove her hood.

"Try running away and we'll see who's wasting their time," he snapped. She gritted her teeth fiercely as she fought to release her wrist from the second ANBU's grip.

"Let me go, or I'll make you, you bastards."

"I'd like to see you try." Her eyes lowered as her frustrated expression suddenly turned into a wide grin.

"If you insist." Something bright and heavy knocked the young man backwards with great force. He crashed into the river, taking one of the rear ANBU with him.

"Ugh!" The first one flipped, landing on his feet on top of the surface, while the second skidded all the way to the other side before he was able to rebalance himself. The remaining two officers quickly jumped into action, pulling out their swords.

"We didn't want it to come to this, but you leave us no choice," the third one stated. She only rolled her eyes.

"I could say the same to you," she muttered. As they lifted their swords above their heads, the girl pulled out a weapon of her own—a sleek, black blade with a black hilt. The two men brought their swords down rapidly, just as she sideswiped both of them. The action was so swift, their eyes couldn't track the stroke as it cut both blades clean through, leaving nothing but their hilts.

The two ANBU stared at their shattered weapons in shock. _How the hell was she able to do that…?!_ But then they saw it.

"That black blade…it can't be." The other two ANBU shared a look behind their masks before approaching the two men who had the girl cornered. She could feel the awe and disbelief radiating off of them like a foul stench. She smirked.

"So you know what this is?" she asked, gripping the hilt tightly.

"The fierce blade Kurokaji—Blackfire," the third ANBU mentioned, almost trancelike.

"Correct. Then you know to be afraid." Despite themselves, the four men took a step back.

"That blade is supposed to be legend," the fourth one stated. "How the hell did you come to possess something so powerful?" The girl scoffed.

"Every legend is based off of some kind of truth. This sword was given to me by my master. Where he got it, well…that's questionable. All that matters is that I have it now, and I'm going to use it to turn you all into ash if you don't let me go."

Feeling their backbones returning, the four men tensed, waiting for her to make her move. Since weapons would do no good against her, they would have to use ninjutsu—which was reportedly her weakness. But they didn't attack her right away. Instead, they backed off just enough to give her room to escape. She sheathed her sword slowly, eyeing the officers meticulously. Then, she disappeared in a flash. They quickly jumped after her, making their way up the cliff that she had cleared only moments before.

"Damn it! Don't let her get away!" They were all tired of chasing her, as they had been on her tail nonstop for days. Unari, the leader, made hand signs. "Water Style: Rushing Torrent!" he shouted. A fierce wave appeared, rushing towards the girl violently. They knew that her weaknesses were water and lightning, seeing as her chakra natures were earth and fire. Lightning was superior to earth, and water to fire, so the Hokage had sent two water- and two lightning-natured ANBU to capture her in the Cloud, once they received reports of her and her master traveling from the Water Country. She'd been separated from her master—as they planned—so that the four of them could take her on at once, ensuring their success at her capture. The Hokage knew that if she and her master were together, they wouldn't be able to touch her.

She wasn't a rogue ninja, even though she left the village unauthorized and had been missing for almost three years. She committed no crime, therefore the Hokage wanted her back alive and unharmed. However, if she refused to go peacefully, there was nothing else Unari and his men could do other than take her by force. Of course, as the Hokage had suspected, she resisted returning. She was even more difficult than her friend, Naruto Uzumaki, when it came to putting up a fight.

Kuruma, the second officer, made hand signs next. "Lightning Style: Shockwave!" The lightning accompanied the water. She could hear the crackling over the rushing waves as they neared her.

_Damn it. These guys are persistent!_

She had no choice. While she hated using ninjutsu, it seemed to be the only thing that could keep her from being taken back to Konoha, other than _that_ power. Sighing, she jumped into the air, just as the water surged past her. Taking a deep breath, she made hand signs that were unfamiliar to the others. "Lava Style…"

Unari, Kuruma, Teikiatsu, and Ikazuchi all stopped running. "Impossible," Ikazuchi murmured. He turned to the others, his red hair matted to the back of his neck with sweat. "Commander Unari—" Before he could say anything more, Kaiya spit lava out of her mouth; they had to jump back in order to avoid it. They watched as the magma evaporated the water quickly as it hardened. She landed safely on the ground, using the steam that arose from the solidified magma as a cover, continuing in her effort to escape.

"Wind Style: Air Bullets!"

That was definitely not something she was ready for.

It appeared that even with all the intense training she'd had over the past couple of years, she was still a bit naïve.

The wind bullets hit her from the back, violently knocking her off balance and sending her crashing to the ground. Because of the speed she was going, it caused more severe injuries, adding on to the ones she already possessed.

"Assholes…" she slurred, pushing herself to her feet weakly. She hadn't used but an ounce of her true power against them, because they were comrades. _Former _comrades, that is. There was only one man she wanted to use all of her might against, and she was nowhere close to being strong enough for that.

_If they take me back to the village, I'll never be able to defeat him, _she thought. _There's still so much I need to learn._

She lay still for what seemed like hours before the four men finally approached her. They sauntered over to her cautiously, just in case she had a sudden burst of strength. They knew what she held inside of her, and at least two of them were wondering why she hadn't used it yet.

Her hood had been ripped off, revealing her scratched and bleeding face. Her cloak lay in tatters on her shoulders. "You're under arrest…Kaiya Umachi." The latter closed her eyes, letting out a shaky breath as they hauled her to her feet and held her up, her body limp and burning from her wounds. She did her best not to show how much pain she was in, but she'd given up trying to fight, and now she just wanted to sleep. After binding her hands with rope behind her back, they began making their journey to the Hidden Leaf.

_I can't go back there…I can't face my past. I'm not ready yet._

She wanted to fight. She wanted to keep running. But she was tired, hungry, weak. They walked about a mile before Kaiya sensed something behind them. Her eyes averted over her shoulder, just as a kunai whizzed past her cheek. She blinked, tensing as she sensed the sharp weapon slice through the air. She could practically feel it against her skin.

"What the hell?" Unari grumbled, throwing Kaiya behind him as he stepped forward. "As if the girl wasn't enough trouble. Now who's this?"

At that moment, the two rear ANBU, Teikiatsu and Ikazuchi, were knocked unconscious, right where they stood. Kaiya took a few steps back after two blurred figures disappeared. She could have run, but she wasn't going to before knowing who was attacking—and whose side they were on.

"Kuruma, get ready. They're either bounty hunters or they work for Orochimaru." The second officer nodded, molding his chakra. Kaiya's lips twisted into a snarl as she clenched her teeth. Before she could say anything, two men appeared in a flash, blocking their way. Kaiya blinked, confused.

They were two ANBU officers. She could see unruly orange hair on one man, and the same kind of hair on the second man, except his was raven-colored. The only difference between them and the ANBU who captured her was the Cloud insignia tattooed on their left arms.

"Release the girl, Leaf shinobi," the orange-haired man commanded, pulling out his katana and pointing it at Unari. The latter scoffed, his eyes lowering in distaste behind his guise.

"And who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" he snapped. "She's from our village, and we have direct orders from the Hokage to take her back. We've been searching for her for a long time. I'm sure you understand." The second man, the same height as the first, took a step forward.

"We won't ask again so nicely. Give her to us. What your Hokage desires is no concern of ours. If you don't have the proper paperwork, she doesn't belong to you." He sounded young, like he hadn't quite reached adulthood, but Kaiya couldn't tell with his stupid mask in place. Unari and Kuruma grabbed Kaiya by each of her arms, and she let out a cry of pain as her attention was brought back to her stinging wounds.

"Paperwork?" The dark-haired Black Op nodded.

"In order to retrieve a missing-nin in another country's territory, the Kage has to have their request in writing and given to the other Kage. It's the same if a Kage wants to dispose of a rogue ninja of another nation. Written permission is required, or you will face consequences." Kuruma's eyes lowered behind his mask as his eyebrows furrowed.

"Why do you want her?" he questioned suspiciously. "We've been chasing her for days in the Cloud, but this is the first time we've seen any Black Ops or any other citizen of this land." The orange-haired man nodded.

"We know," he replied. "We've been watching her ever since she crossed our borders. And we've been watching you." His eyes narrowed dangerously, and though the other men couldn't see it, they could feel it. Malice dripped off of him like the blood that was dripping from Kaiya's injuries. "The Leaf and Cloud are enemy nations, and you're in unauthorized territory without the proper paperwork. The Cloud now has entitlement to your rogue ninja." Kuruma gritted his teeth.

"She's not a rogue, she's a runaway!"

"It doesn't matter," the black-haired man snapped. "She's under our jurisdiction. Let her go, or we'll be taking you in with her." Kuruma and Unari wanted to protest further, but it appeared they had no choice in the matter. Unari nodded resentfully, and the two men released their hold on Kaiya's arms. She fell forward, too fatigued to even stand, and the black-haired officer swiftly caught her and held her up by her waist. Her head leaned against his chest.

"The Hokage won't be happy when she hears about this," Unari warned, as he and Kuruma picked up their fallen comrades. "Don't think this is the last time you'll hear of this." The two Cloud ninjas said nothing as the four men disappeared in clouds of smoke. When it cleared, the man set Kaiya down on the ground, studying her injuries closely.

"You're going to be alright now, Kaiya," he whispered, gently stroking her cheek. She glanced up at him weakly, dangerously close to passing out.

"How…how do you know my name?" she asked guardedly, despite the pain she was in. She tried to glare at him, but she didn't have the strength. "Do you work for Orochimaru?" Shaking his head, the man slowly removed his mask.

"Of course not. It's me." Kaiya's eyes widened as his grey pupils met hers. "Yoshi Arashi." Her eyes shimmered for a moment before fading again. She turned to the other officer.

"Haru…?" she guessed faintly. He nodded, removing his mask as well, revealing grey, pupiless eyes and a stoic expression. She relaxed, wincing as a sharp pain rippled through her. She tried to sit up, and Yoshi quickly jumped to help her.

"Careful," he urged, letting her rest against his torso. If she wasn't so weak, she would've pushed him away. "Let me take a look at your wounds." Breathing heavily from extreme exhaustion, Kaiya shook her head, a frown appearing on her face.

"They're just cuts," she pointed out warily. She grabbed her arm suddenly, gripping the open flesh tightly. Blood seeped through her fingers; trickles of red liquid dripped down her brow, sliding down her cheek, as well as down her back. She had plenty of other grazes and burns, but they weren't as serious. Yoshi frowned, resting his hand on top of her injured arm.

"Just cuts?" he repeated, his eyebrow raised in question. "Yeah, right. I can see how much it hurts by the look on your face. Just let me bandage 'em already." Reluctantly, Kaiya let him remove her blood-soaked hand, grimacing as he cleaned and then bandaged it with gauze he pulled out of his weapons pouch. When he was finished with her arm, he moved on to her forehead. He gently wiped away the blood from her cheeks as if he were wiping away tears, making her blush. Thankfully, he was too focused to notice.

The real problem came when Yoshi moved to Kaiya's shoulder. Her _bare_ shoulder. She was wearing a black tank top, and her shirt had been ripped, revealing her right shoulder and part of her collarbone and upper-back. Her eyes were hazy, her face tense as Yoshi ran his hand across her laceration. She held her breath as she wrestled with a blush that was fighting its way to the surface of her cheeks.

It was awkward for both of them. What's more, it was awkward for Haru to watch.

By the time Yoshi finished, all three of them were red.

"So what are you going to do with me?" Kaiya asked, once Yoshi helped her to her feet. "Am I going to prison?" Yoshi smirked, running his hands through his thick, dark hair.

"Of course not," he answered with a slight chuckle. "We only told those bastards that to get them to leave." Kaiya stared at them with a confused frown.

"Were you guys really spying on me the whole time I was here?" Haru smirked.

"We were making our rounds on the border when we saw you," he explained. "I could tell right away, because my eyes recognize your chakra signature." She nodded, remembering that his eyes were special, though she wasn't sure exactly how. "Before we could approach you, the four Leaf ANBU appeared and began chasing you. Instead of intervening right away, we decided to stay out of it unless we had no choice. I'm actually surprised they were able to capture you. I expected you to use the six-tails."

"I'd never use Jin on a comrade," she commented, looking away. "Even a former comrade." Yoshi's countenance became concerned.

"So, are you going to explain why you ran away?" Kaiya sighed, staring at the ground.

"You two don't sound surprised." Yoshi shook his head as they began walking to an unknown location, her arm around his shoulder for support.

"Ronin told us not too long after you left," he admitted. "He wanted us to keep a look out in case you ever came to Kumo." Kaiya's eyes widened as she stopped walking, facing the twins with a dangerous glare.

"So you guys are taking me back. There's no way in hell that I'll let you!" She pushed herself off of Yoshi, and though she was still in pain and highly exhausted, she reached for her sword at her side. Before she could grab it, however, Haru stopped her. At the look of disdain on her face, he gripped her wrist tighter. Yoshi grabbed her shoulder to keep her steady, for fear she might fall over.

"Hold on, Kaiya. Don't jump to conclusions," the oldest warned. "There would be no need for us to stop those Leaf ANBU if we were trying to take you to Konoha. Relax. Your body can't take much more stress." Against her better judgment, she did as she was told. Her shoulders slacked, her hand going limp. Haru slowly released his clutch.

"Then where are you guys taking me?" she wondered. She wanted—needed—to rest. Haru was right about her body being at its limit. She wouldn't be able to walk much longer. Yoshi sighed.

"We're taking you to our estate," he answered. "You need time to recover. Then you can leave." Kaiya nodded, her eyes closing involuntarily as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She fell forward slowly, but with Yoshi's grip on her shoulder, she didn't get far. He hoisted her onto his back as Haru began walking again.

"This girl is a handful, just like Ronin said," he mentioned, shaking his head. Yoshi nodded, a small smirk appearing on his face.

"Yeah," he agreed. "She sure is."

_I don't want to run away_

_And one of these days I might just show that_

_Put my home in a suitcase, tie both shoelaces and hold that_

_Things change, but for now I leave town with a backpack on my shoulder._


	3. The Arashi Estate

**So...I'm not sure how long it's been. A month, maybe? I meant to update a few weeks ago, but I've been enjoying break too much. **

**Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows, everyone! All are greatly appreciated. **

**Just a side note, like I said before, this will be updated slowly. I'll try to get a couple more chapters in before I have to go back to school next week. Also, the story will progress slowly for a while. A fair warning: there is quite a bit of fluff for the next few chapters. Like 'Walk the Path', the sequel follows the story line, but I wanted to add other things in there as well, so I decided to add some slight Yoshi/Kaiya. **

**Happy New Year, Americans!**

_Do you know what it's like when you're not who you wanna be_

_Do you know what it's like to be your own worst enemy_

_Who sees the things in me I can't hide._

By the time Kaiya regained consciousness, she was lying on a mat in the corner of a large room. She sat up slowly, blinking as she yawned, stretching before looking around. _This must be Yoshi and Haru's…_ The door slid open slowly to reveal a young woman with short, red hair to her shoulders and dark, blue eyes that matched her dress. She coyly stepped into the room, seeming embarrassed.

"I-I'm sorry, ma'am," she apologized, staring down at the floor. "I didn't mean to bother you." Kaiya smiled, pushing herself to her feet. She still felt a little weak from running for days on end, but she was confident that she was able to walk with no problem.

"You're not bothering me," she assured the young woman, who didn't look too much older than her. Was she a relative of the twins? The girl gave her a nervous grin. "What's your name?" Blinking in question, the young woman fiddled with her fingers, resembling Hinata. Kaiya's heart ached for a moment at the memory of her friend.

"K-Keiko, ma'am. Your name is Kaiya, isn't it?"

"Yep. But you can forget the ma'am. I'm just a kid, ya know." Keiko nodded, straightening up as she took in a deep breath.

"Well, Kaiya, it's nice to meet you," she said. "Master Yoshi and Master Haru would like you to join them for breakfast." _Master?_ "They also would like you to have these." She held up a pair of new clothes. She smiled. _Looks like they can tell I only wear dark clothing._ After getting dressed, Kaiya followed Keiko to the dining room, where Yoshi and Haru were already seated.

"Morning, Sunshine," Yoshi greeted, a charming smile appearing on his face. Kaiya blinked, feeling her cheeks heat up, though she couldn't understand why. He stood up, taking her hand and leading her to the seat next to him.

"Uh, morning. Look…thanks—for letting me stay here, I mean. And for helping me yesterday." Yoshi nodded, still grinning, and Haru closed his eyes and frowned with a shrug.

"You still need a day or two's rest,' the oldest explained. "Our father returns from his mission later tonight, so he'll have to approve you staying here longer. The way he is, there's no guarantee he will. You may not want to after you meet him." Yoshi pouted, agreeing with his brother. Kaiya closed her eyes for a moment, brushing her unruly bangs out of her face.

"It's not the first time I didn't know where I was going to sleep. I haven't slept in an actual bed in almost three years. Kuro-sensei and I have slept underneath the stars most nights, so I guess I'm pretty used to it by now. Though, the mat here is a nice change. I'll be fine either way." She gave them a small smirk. Yoshi studied her quietly, hands on his lap, his fingers drumming on his legs absentmindedly. _Traveling and training all the time, never knowing where they're going to sleep for the night…it must be hard._

"Just don't tell our father you were raised in the Leaf and that Ronin was your sensei. He'll probably try to kill you." Yoshi chuckled nervously. Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed, but Yoshi didn't go into detail. Their older brother and former heir must have been taboo in the Arashi household.

About a month after Orochimaru's attack on the village, Ronin had come clean and admitted to his students that Yoshi and Haru were his younger brothers, and he fled the Hidden Cloud when he was a teenager in order to escape his father's wrath, who disowned him and tried to have him killed. However, that's about the extent of the details he gave them. Kaiya had already figured that they were related, since they look so similar. The only difference is that Haru has orange hair, and neither one of the twins has the deep scar on their face that their sensei possesses. In fact, looking at them now, two-and-a-half years later—especially Yoshi—they resembled him even more. It made her miss him.

"So…where's that Kuro guy anyway?" Yoshi wondered, just as Keiko brought out the first round of their meal. _Hmm…guess she is a maid or something._ She quietly laid out three bowls of rice before disappearing again. Kaiya rolled her eyes and shook her head, at a loss.

"Who knows?" she grumbled. "That bastard probably escaped when he saw the Leaf chasing me. I heard he's wanted now." Yoshi lifted a brow, but didn't ask any more questions. As an ANBU Black Op, he already knew about Kuro's status as a missing-nin. After they ate, Yoshi convinced Kaiya to let him give her a tour of the village.

"You'll love it," he promised. She agreed, only because she didn't want to be cooped up in their compound all day. When they walked through the estate, Kaiya was astounded by what she saw: the trail that led from the entrance to the main household changed from cement to smooth stone. Dozens of compounds littered the wide, spacious area, and in-between each was a garden and a fountain; the garden wrapped around the entirety of each property. Behind the first cluster of houses was a set of shops, ranging from jewelry to sushi stands. The buildings looked new, even though Kaiya knew they had to be decades old, at least. People of all sizes and ages, as well as several different animals, roamed the roads, running in and out of the stores and restaurants. Some were holding hands, some were chasing each other, and some were alone.

It was almost like a village inside of a village.

Kaiya smiled sadly, clenching her fists. She imagined this is what the Uchiha property looked like back when there were people living in it. She pictured a little Sasuke and a young Itachi weaving their way through the busy streets, laughing as they ran to the nearest training ground.

Yoshi noticed her expression, brushing his fingers lightly against hers. She stopped, surprised at the gesture. When she looked up at him, hoping it was an accident, he was smiling genuinely, offering her his hand. She cautiously took it and let him guide her through his clan's home.

"You guys have a pretty big clan," she noted, as they neared the main exit. "Bigger than the Uchiha." Yoshi's eyes lowered at the mention of the deceased clan. He knew what happened to them, and he knew that Sasuke's older brother was responsible for it. He wanted to ask about Sasuke, but at the same time, he didn't want to spoil this moment with Kaiya.

"Yeah," he said sometime later. "Our clan originated in Kiri, but my great-grandfather moved the clan to the Hidden Cloud when he married a woman from another powerful clan, in order to create an alliance between the two. They combined together and built this estate. That's why there are so many of us." Kaiya smirked.

"I was told that most of my clan mixed with others in the village. My father was the last original member with the surname Umachi before he married my mother. I've always wanted to be a part of something like this." Yoshi smiled down at her. _Maybe one day you will be. _They walked in silence for a few minutes before they reached the gate that led into the main part of Kumo.

"Our village isn't as green as the Leaf, but it's got some pretty interesting landscapes and architecture. I think you'll like it." The eighteen-year-old glanced down at Kaiya again, the corner of his lips lifting in a small smirk. She lowered her eyes at the mention of her old home.

"I guess we'll see, won't we?"

…

"Ok, your village _is_ pretty cool," Kaiya admitted as she and Yoshi walked through the streets. The buildings were interesting; some looked upside-down, others sideways. No two were the same. Most of them hung off of the large cliff that overshadowed the Hidden Cloud. There was an ocean facing the opposite side, and the rocky, mountainous terrain made it almost like an impenetrable fortress. _No wonder there's never been an attempt to attack Kumo, _Kaiya told herself. _It's almost impossible. Clever bastards._

They were walking close together, but they were just far enough apart that they weren't touching. Yoshi wanted so bad to take her hand again, as they had let it go as soon as they exited the Arashi Estate, but he knew that it would make Kaiya uncomfortable, possibly angry. She'd made it clear the last time they saw each other that she wasn't interested. And he would rather have her as just a friend than not have her at all.

He let out a triumphant grunt. "Yeah, it is. But everyone here is always so serious. The buildings may be enjoyable, but the people aren't. I just wish they'd take the sticks out of their asses every once in a while and have some fun or somethin'." He chuckled. Kaiya grinned.

"And while they're at it, they can take the stick out of Kuro-sensei's ass too. I've done nothing but train since I left Konoha. He's all work and no play. It's exhausting." Yoshi glanced at her, holding up her arm so that he could examine it in the sunlight.

"Hmm…well, it looks like it paid off though. Look at all this muscle. You could arm wrestle with a bear!" He grinned cheekily, laughing as Kaiya snatched her arm away and pulled it to her side. She turned her head, hiding a small smile and a blush. "Well, consider today a break, since he's not here," he told her sometime later. Kaiya blinked, then nodded as a smile crossed her face.

"Yeah, I guess I could do that." Yoshi turned a corner, waking onto a wide street littered with bars, eateries, shops, and markets.

"You hungry?" he asked her. It was past noontime now; they'd been walking around aimlessly for hours. She frowned, shaking her head. However, her body betrayed her when her stomach let out a loud growl in protest. She grabbed her torso as her cheeks flushed. Yoshi laughed as he stopped in front of a restaurant, pointing at the sign. It read 'Sakana Guriru: Finest Sushi in the Land'. "A good friend of mine owns this place, so I get free food whenever I want. And the sign doesn't lie—it really is the best. Do you like sushi?" Kaiya raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on her face.

"Do I like sushi?" she repeated. "I love it."

"Good. How 'bout it, then?" Kaiya nodded, and Yoshi led her in through the door. They sat in a booth by a window, where Kaiya could see the sun shining behind a thick layer of fog. When she was staring out the window, Yoshi took this as his chance to gape at her. He couldn't help but be awed by her beauty that had definitely blossomed since he'd last seen her. He wished he could just gaze at her all day. "Guess one thing that sucks about living here is the scenery isn't as grand as other villages." Yoshi's voice broke through Kaiya's daydreaming like tiny needles. She blinked, turning back to him.

"Huh?"

"You've been staring at the sky all day," he told her, shrugging. "There's not really not much else, although the fog kinda makes it difficult to see much, except at night. Does the fog bother you, or do you just have a thing for staring up at the clouds?" Kaiya's eyes lowered for a moment before meeting his gaze again, studying him quietly as she let out a small sigh.

"My father used to say that the sky connected us all," she began. "No matter where you are, you're always under the same sky as everyone else in the world. He believed it to be a way all shinobi could come together despite their differences. He used to chart the stars, and I would watch him on most nights; I grew to love them. Beforehand, we would sit and watch the sunset, and I'd be so amazed at the way the sky changed colors. Kakashi told me that if I shaped the clouds to look like the faces of the people I missed, I wouldn't be so lonely. I had a way of keeping them with me, even though I knew they were gone. And then when Sasuke and I watched the sunrise, I knew that as a new day began, it was another chance to change my circumstances."

She paused, closing her eyes as she thought back to those times. "When I was little and looked to the sky at any time of day, I felt like I was free from the burdens of my life here on the ground. It was like I was in another world." She looked at the wall sadly. "It sounds pretty stupid, huh?"

Yoshi's eyes narrowed in understanding. A small smile appeared on his face. "Not at all," he assured her. Her eyes lifted, and she stared at Yoshi for several moments before grinning. Before another word was said, the waitress brought their orders to the table.

"Ok…I have a Nigirizushi for the lady," she announced, placing a good-sized plate in front of Kaiya. "And of course, Inarizushi for our best—and favorite—customer." She smiled as she slid Yoshi's plate to him; he caught it with his hand and picked up a pair of chopsticks. He grinned, giving her a nod in thanks.

"Thanks, Manami. And just so you know, you're my favorite waitress." He winked at her, and she blushed as she bowed and scurried away. Kaiya watched him closely, averting her eyes as he turned back to her. He caught her staring, and he blinked in question. "What?" She grinned knowingly.

"Looks like you're quite the ladies' man." Kaiya lifted an eyebrow expectantly. Yoshi's cheeks turned a light shade of pink, and he turned his gaze to the window.

"Uh, well…" Chuckling lightly, he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I have noticed that girls act strange around me and my brother," he admitted. "At first, I thought it was because we made them nervous, since my clan is a pretty big deal around here. But my mother pointed out that it's because they think we're…cute." He said the last word guiltily, like he wasn't quite sure of himself. Kaiya didn't know if he was being modest or if it was just awkward for him to admit it to her. Kaiya closed her eyes for a moment, fighting down a blush. She'd always noticed his looks, but back then…well, her focus was on _him_.

"So, why don't you have a girlfriend, Mr. Playboy? Surely you could get a date whenever you feel like it." Yoshi blushed, clearing his throat as he picked at his sushi with his chopsticks. Unable to keep avoiding her gaze, as she fully expected an answer, he finally looked at Kaiya firmly, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Because the only girl that I've wanted to notice me is in love with someone else," he answered. Trying to fight off the image of Sasuke, Kaiya clenched her fists; she was shaking, biting her lip to keep from telling him that she was no longer in love. Yoshi's eyebrows furrowed in worry at the sight of Kaiya's reaction to his statement.

"Kaiya, are you ok?" he wondered. "If I upset you, I—"

"No," she interrupted unsteadily. "It's ok; I'm not upset." After gaining her composure—something she struggled to master in the years she'd been with Kuro—she looked at him again. He couldn't tell whether she was telling the truth or not, but he had a feeling it was the latter.

"Alright." He let out a deep sigh, picking up a piece of sushi and biting into it. Deciding to change the subject, he glanced at Kaiya with a smile. "Go ahead and try it." She nodded, breaking a pair of her own chopsticks. When she swallowed, a smile crossed her face.

"Well, what do ya know? This _is_ the best." Yoshi nodded.

"See. Told ya." Kaiya chuckled, relieved to have the focus off of her at last.

"If this is the best sushi in the Land of Lightning, then maybe you should come with me someday to Ichiraku—the best ramen in the Land of Fire." Her eyes widened, and she looked outside sadly. "If I ever see it again, that is." With a look of concern, Yoshi slowly reached out his hand, lightly resting it on top of Kaiya's that was on the table. The gesture surprised her, and she looked up at him expectantly.

"Why don't you just go back?" he asked her softly. "It's obvious that you miss your village." Kaiya sighed deeply, lowering her head as she thought back to her home, her friends, her old life. The logical thing to everyone else would just be to return to Konoha. But she saw things from a much different perspective.

"It's not that simple," she argued. "If I did go back, no one would accept me. Things wouldn't be the same. My friends would never look me in the eye again. I abandoned them, Yoshi. I abandoned my village and everyone that I claimed to care about. I could be placed in prison, and even worse…I'd be forced to live with the fact that I let everyone down. I wasn't strong enough to face my problems head on; I ran away. The guilt of what I did to them will never go away." Yoshi sighed, lowering his head.

"It's never too late to atone for the things you've done," he told her. His tone was completely serious. "The only thing you're running away from now is redemption. You're already living with the fact that you let them down, so why not go home? I know that they'll forgive you, Kaiya. I don't know how anyone could live without you." She blushed, looking away as he lifted his head. "I'm sure they all miss you, and I'm willing to bet that they think of you every day, blaming themselves for you leaving. The longer you wait to go back, the more pain you cause them. And the more pain you cause yourself. If you want them to forgive you, you have to forgive yourself first."

Kaiya thought about what Yoshi had said, trembling at the thought of never seeing all of her loved ones again. Even if they hated her, it was better than living the rest of her life not ever seeing their faces again. And he was right—she had to let go of what she did in order to move forward. But there was still the issue of Orochimaru and Sasuke. She couldn't just drop everything now. Sighing, she opened her mouth to respond, but was quickly cut off by a loud, boisterous voice entering the sushi bar.

"Yo! I've come to get the best sushi in the land, so move aside and let me in, 'cause I'm one hungry man! Ya fools, ya fools!" Kaiya blinked in confusion, watching as Yoshi stiffened and frowned, banging his head lightly against the table.

"Oh no…Master Bee." Kaiya's eyebrow lifted.

"Master Bee?" she repeated. He nodded.

"Yeah. He's the Raikage's younger brother, and well…you know when I told you everyone here had sticks up their asses? Well, he's the exception. He _needs_ a stick or two up his." Before Kaiya could ask another question, Bee burst into the room where they were sitting. Instead of being distraught when their meal was interrupted like she thought they'd be, Kaiya watched as all of the customers ran out of their seats and flocked to Bee, like he was some kind of celebrity. He was tall, dark, and had muscles larger than her head. His white hair was braided into rows, and he had many swords sheathed in the most random places on his body.

_Wow, his appearance is almost as loud as his voice,_ she noted. She shook her head, remembering her blonde best friend.

Since Kaiya and Yoshi had finished their meal, Yoshi left money on the table and grabbed Kaiya's hand, scooting her out of the booth. Ducking behind the crowd, they ran out of the sushi bar and into the street. Kaiya laughed when they were out in the open, gripping her sides as she doubled over.

"What was that about?" she wondered, straightening up. "You looked terrified of that guy." Yoshi's cheeks flushed as he crossed his arms.

"I'm not terrified of him," he corrected her matter-of-factly. "It's just that he's insane, and everywhere he goes he ends up causing a big fuss and then he gets beat up by the Raikage. I mean, it's pretty hilarious when that happens, but still. And his rapping sucks." Kaiya giggled, unable to contain herself. Though Yoshi seemed embarrassed, he was glad she was laughing and having a good time. He was afraid he'd taken things out of hand when he began talking about her village and comrades, especially Sasuke.

When they returned to the Arashi estate, it was around five. Kaiya seemed a little more comfortable with Yoshi now. She smiled. "Thanks, Yoshi. You guys really don't have to help me." His eyebrows furrowed. He looked at her incredulously.

"What are you talking about? Of course we do," he said. She frowned in question. "You're a friend. That means that when you're in trouble, we'll be there. And even though the Hokage is scary, she's worth facing if that means that I get to spend a couple of days with you." Kaiya's expression softened, and she closed her eyes as a small smile graced her lips. She coyly brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Most of her hair was fashioned into a long, tight braid down her back, but her bangs were long—to her shoulders—and so they constantly got in the way.

Walking through the estate again, Kaiya was able to see it from the outside, and it seemed even more glorious when she caught sight of the main family's compound, elevated high above the others on a green hill in the distance. It proudly overlooked the entire estate; the main family's compound, in all of its majestic glory, was much larger than everyone else's. There was a pond at the foot of the hill behind it, and a grove of trees a few meters away. Kaiya thought of it as the perfect oasis, and wondered what it was like for her sensei to grow up there.

It must not have been very good, since he fled to the Leaf.

They stopped at large, wooden, double-doors, where Keiko was sitting on the porch, playing with a child who was about four years old, laughing and smiling as the two teens approached them. When Keiko saw them, she immediately stood and bowed formally.

"Master Yoshi, Lady Kaiya…welcome back," she greeted timidly. "Did you enjoy your time together?" Yoshi grinned, wrapping an arm around Kaiya's shoulder. She stiffened, but made no attempt to distance herself from him.

"It was great!" he answered. "So, how's my little buddy today?" Yoshi turned his attention to the little boy, who was looking up at him with a wide grin.

"Yoshi!" He reached out for him, and Yoshi took his arm from around Kaiya to pick the boy up, tossing him into the air and catching him with ease, spinning him around while the boy chortled with glee.

"I missed you, Taro," the older male said, setting the boy down at last. He lowered himself to be closer to the toddler. "It's been a while since I've seen my biggest fan." He ruffled Taro's red hair, making the boy grin sheepishly. After a moment, Taro's attention turned to Kaiya. His big, brown eyes glanced up at her curiously. He looked back to Yoshi, then pointed to her.

"Is she your girlfriend?" The innocence of the four-year-old's question didn't keep the embarrassment from flooding through both Kaiya and Yoshi.

"G-girlfriend?" they stuttered in unison. They shared a brief look before turning red, their eyes averting to opposite sides of the veranda. Taro nodded.

"She's pretty." Kaiya's stomach fluttered, and she took a deep breath as she tried to keep her cheeks from flushing any more than they already had. She slowly squatted next to Yoshi, giving the small boy a smirk.

"My name is Kaiya," she said. "Yoshi and I are just friends." She wanted to outright yell 'Hell no, we are not together!', but she figured she shouldn't talk like that to a four-year-old. So she just smiled. Yoshi nodded, an indecipherable emotion present in his eyes. Taro seemed just as disappointed. And was it just Kaiya's imagination, or did she see a bit of relief in Keiko's eyes?

"Yeah, Taro," he agreed. "She's my friend. Besides, she like someone else anyway." Kaiya's heart sank at Yoshi's declaration. The smile faded from her lips, and she quickly stood up and walked off the porch, her hand shaking. Yoshi frowned, jumping to his feet and following after her. "Hey, Kaiya? Where are you going? Did I say something wrong?"

She couldn't hear him. All she could hear was Sasuke's voice ringing in her head.

_"In order for me to gain more power, I must completely sever our bond. I can't dwell on things like 'us'. None of that matters now—no matter what I felt before." _

_ "I want you to be happy and love someone who will take care of you. I'm not that person…I'll never love you in return." _

"—ya." Yoshi's hand grabbed her arm, bringing her back to reality. "_Kaiya_. Stop." She blinked, her vision clearing to see that she was in the middle of the pond, instinctively using her chakra to keep her afloat. She looked back at Yoshi, who was staring down at her with a concerned countenance. "Are you alright? You turned into some kind of zombie just now." It was like every time Sasuke was mentioned, she went into her own little world—and not the 'oh, he's so amazingly dreamy' kind of world, like Yoshi went to when he thought about Kaiya. It was the 'how could things have turned out like this' kind of world. Taking a deep breath, Kaiya stared at her reflection beneath her.

"I'm fine," she lied. Yoshi's eyes lowered suspiciously, but he didn't question her any further.

"Ok," he said with a slow nod. "You had me worried for a minute, ya know." She avoided his gaze, instead choosing to look at the cattails that stood a few feet away from them in the marsh near the bank.

"I'm sorry." Without another word, she began walking back to where they came. Before she took a third step, Yoshi grabbed onto her hand, squeezing it tightly as she turned around. She glared at him keenly, but her gaze softened when she saw the seriousness of his expression.

"If something's bothering you and you need to talk, I'm here. I know you probably don't run into too many people nowadays that you can have a private conversation with." Kaiya sighed, her hand shaking in Yoshi's grip as he slowly let go. She looked away, taking another step before stopping again.

"Yoshi…the truth is—" Before she had a chance to tell him about Sasuke, Haru appeared on the bank.

"Brother, what the hell are you doing? Father will be here any minute. You know he doesn't like it when you're late." Yoshi turned to his older brother, letting out a sigh.

"Yeah, yeah," he murmured. His eyes trailed to Kaiya. "We can talk later," he promised. "Haru and my father are pretty impatient. You don't want to see them upset—trust me." Kaiya's heavy expression lifted slightly. _So he must be like Ronin-sensei, who's more leisurely about time. _The sense of familiarity made her feel a little better.

"O-ok." She let Yoshi take her hand once again as he led her inside the main room of their compound, where his parents waited.

_They say the world is what I make of it_

_Am I the only one that wants to see a change_

_I've turned my back on all my brothers dying in their broken homes_

_I dug the graves of the ones I am called to love._


	4. Request Granted

**I decided to update again tonight, since it was a short chapter. Once again, this is just fluff.**

_They tried to break me down, but I'm still on my feet_

_This city's full of life, so why is it hard to breathe_

_Oh, why did God create this world so unfair_

_I don't know._

Raiden Arashi was a tall, well-structured man with dark hair and aged, grey eyes that peered down at Kaiya judgmentally. She nervously smiled, avoiding eye contact as much as she could. His mouth seemed to be set in a permanent frown; that and his goatee made him look too authoritative for her liking. She could see the resemblance between him and his sons, especially when he scowled. Ronin and Haru often wore a similar glower, but Kaiya had yet to see Yoshi make the same expression. Raiden had many scars on his body, evidence that he had been through many rough battles and turned up as the victor. She gulped.

Nariko, Yoshi and Haru's mother, set some tea in front of Kaiya, and she smiled in thanks as she sat down. Nariko was far less intimidating than her husband. She wasn't a shinobi like Raiden; instead, she was a medical ninja who ran the hospital in their village. She had the same colored hair as Haru, pulled up into a high bun, and her eyes were a soft brown. She smiled warmly at her guest, who returned the gesture. She was wearing a purple kimono tied with a flower-patterned sash around her waist.

"Yoshi, why don't you introduce your girlfriend?" Nariko suggested. Yoshi paled as Kaiya turned red and choked on her tea, making Haru snigger. Raiden's eyes narrowed slightly as he continued to stare at Kaiya coldly.

"M-mom," the youngest whined. "She's…she's not my girlfriend." He pouted, turning away in frustration and embarrassment. "She's just a friend, alright? Why doesn't anyone get that?" Nariko smiled as if her son's words bounced right off of her ears.

"Well, you did walk in holding hands," she pointed out matter-of-factly, taking a sip of tea casually. Yoshi groaned, rolling his eyes, refusing to meet Kaiya's gaze. She cleared her throat, covering her mouth with her hand. Nariko placed her cup back on the table, waiting for Yoshi's reply eagerly. After a few moments of silence, she rolled her eyes. "Introduce her, whoever she is, son. Honestly." The dark-haired teen sighed, scratching his cheek.

"Yeah, ok. This is Kaiya, a friend we met a few years ago." His parents waited to hear more, but that's all they were offered. Nariko finally just turned to Kaiya, her lips set in a straight line.

"Why don't you tell us a little about yourself, Kaiya? If you aren't Yoshi's girlfriend—you seem too good for him anyway—then who are you?" The latter's eyes widened slightly as sweat dripped down her brow. Yoshi frowned and muttered under his breath at his mother's comment, but she ignored him. _What do I say? There's not much I can tell her without giving myself away…_

"Well, I, uh…" She scratched the back of her neck, averting her eyes to her cup of hot tea. "I'll be sixteen soon." She cleared her throat. "I, uh, travel and train a lot. I'm an orphan, so I don't have any family I can really talk about. I'm a Chunin, I like taijutsu, and I'm pretty good with a sword these days." Nariko chuckled as Kaiya fumbled for more random facts about herself. She shook her head.

"Well, that's nice, Kaiya. But I was looking for something more…personal. Why don't you tell us some other things?"

"Other things?" she reiterated thoughtfully. Nariko nodded, a gleeful expression on her face.

"Mhm. Like what your favorite color is, what do you like to do for fun, what's your favorite food, flower…things like that. I'm sorry if I sound intruding, but it's not very common for us to have female guests outside of the clan. I suppose I would like someone to talk to. About silly girl things." Kaiya blinked. How was she supposed to say no to that? She'd been all business for the past two-and-a-half years, so it had been a while since she'd dwelled on such trivial things. But if Nariko was looking for a conversation with a female, she really had no choice but to oblige. She nodded.

"Oh, alright then. Well, my favorite color is black. I know it makes me sound a little dreary, but it's kind of been my thing since my father's death, I guess." She tapped her chin as she looked up to the ceiling in thought. "I like to train and take long walks, especially at night. I used to have eating competitions with my best friend at our favorite ramen stand. My favorite food would be Shoyu ramen, and my favorite flower—"

"Lilies," Yoshi cut in quickly. Kaiya lifted an eyebrow, looking at him quizzically. His parents did the same, as Haru only shook his head. His cheeks turned a light shade of pink as he chuckled lightly. "Sorry, hehe. Go on." He looked down in embarrassment, taking a quick swig of tea.

"I know it's not the 'girly things' you were hoping for, but that's pretty much the gist of things." She took a breath before picking up her cup. "I'm not the most interesting person in the world, as you can see." Nariko smiled and nodded.

"That's fine. There's nothing wrong with a simple lifestyle. It must get lonely every now and then, though. Any brothers or sisters?" she wondered. Kaiya clenched her cup so tightly she feared it would shatter in her hands as Kisho, Yumi, and Yuri's deaths flashed through her mind.

"N-no," she answered, staring at the table. "Not anymore." Nariko's smile faded.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't…" Kaiya shook her head.

"It's fine," she assured her. "I don't remember them much anyway." Yoshi cleared his throat, signifying to his brother that it was time to get to business. Haru closed his eyes as his arms crossed. _It's about time. This small talk was getting tiresome._

"Mother, Father, Kaiya is in the Land of Lightning on business, and she needs a day or two of rest. She's been working very hard the last few days. She's already told you she travels, so she has nowhere to stay." Raiden sighed.

"Let me guess: You want her to stay here." Yoshi and Haru nodded silently. "There are plenty of inns—"

"Father, she's a friend. We have plenty of room here, and she has no money that she can—"

"Silence yourself, Yoshi," Raiden commanded harshly. Yoshi looked like he was contemplating continuing, despite his father's order, but his mouth slowly shut. Kaiya saw him clench his fist out the corner of her eye. "You expect me to let a stranger stay in my home, just because you have a little crush on her?" _A _little _crush?_ Haru thought, snorting. Yoshi frowned, opening his mouth to say something, but Nariko cut in.

"Raiden, please. Don't talk about her like she's not sitting right in front of you." Kaiya's eyes lowered as she watched Raiden turn on his wife.

"And you, Nariko…this does not concern you. Leave." Nariko stared at the man for a few moments before standing to her feet resentfully. She looked at Kaiya briefly before walking away. _No wonder Ronin-sensei left…his dad's a real jerk._ She resisted the urge to growl.

"Father, do you remember a few years ago when we received a mission from an anonymous donor?" Haru was the only one who seemed to remain calm, his demeanor stoic, as it almost always was. Raiden quietly turned to him, silent as he listened intently. "We entered the Chunin Exams of the Leaf, masquerading as Taki ninjas." Raiden nodded, crossing his arms. "Well, she's one of _them_."

Raiden's eyes widened in realization, then lowered slowly. He grunted, staring at Kaiya, studying her quietly with dark, cold eyes. He straightened his back, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he clasped his hands together. Closing his eyes, he thought in silence for a minute or two before staring her down once again. In the pregnant silence, Kaiya wanted to just walk out and yell 'Forget it!' along with some other choice words. However, she was no longer the hothead she used to be—at least not as much. She could control her anger well enough to keep it beneath the surface, so that no one—friend or foe—could tell what she was thinking or feeling.

"I see…" After a pause, he frowned. "So you're from the Leaf." Kaiya's eyebrows creased. _Thanks a lot, Haru. I thought you guys didn't want him to know that._

"Well, I…" To be honest, she didn't trust Raiden. There was something about him she didn't like, including the way he treated his family. Kaiya's father treated everyone with respect and compassion, especially his loved ones. He was always kind, considerate, and generous. He took the most unwanted people under his wings, no matter what the officials of the village or anyone else thought. Looking at Yoshi's father, she was just disgusted. She thought about punching him in the face, but she didn't think it would make a good impression, considering he probably already hated her.

"How do you know she's from Konoha?" Yoshi asked. "She could be from any of the other allying nations." Raiden's frown deepened, though Kaiya didn't think it was possible.

"Son, do you take me for a fool?" he snapped. "Just looking at her now, I can clearly see: She has the eyes and face of the Hurricane of the Land of Fire, Yasuo Umachi." Kaiya blinked in surprise, her jaw slacking. "I also happen to be aware of the fact that all but one of the known Legends have been placed in the Leaf."

"You knew my father?" Kaiya bit her tongue in anticipation as Raiden nodded.

"Yes. He and I were enemies back when he was alive," the older man explained. "He was the only man from the Leaf other than the Yellow Flash that I acknowledged as a worthy adversary. We fought many battles, always ending in a draw. Your father could have—should have—killed me many times, but instead he chose to spare my life every time. Even though I think it foolish to leave an enemy that you have defeated alive, he was one of the strongest men I ever faced, and one of the most admirable shinobi." Kaiya's eyes softened slightly as her fists clenched.

"Father—" Raiden raised a hand, and Haru abruptly halted his sentence.

"By what you've said, you are no longer a part of the Land of Fire," he speculated. "And since your father spared me many times, I've suddenly had a change of heart. I shall not think of you as an enemy right away. Though the fact that you left your village is suspicious, as the daughter of the Hurricane I have no reason to believe you're a rogue of any sort, especially when my sons are in the ANBU and have access to all of the rogue information. I do have one question for you, though." Kaiya nodded. "You said you were training…so where is your trainer?"

Kaiya sighed, lowering her head as she stared at the table. "Your guess is as good as mine," she replied. "To be honest, I haven't seen him in days. Sometimes he just disappears on me and shows up randomly a week or two later. He's paranoid about people chasing him, so when the Leaf ANBU came after me, I guess he ran off to avoid being arrested." It was almost comical, really. Someone like Kuro fleeing from the law out of fear. It was most likely that he didn't want to have to deal with Tsunade's wrath should he ever be captured.

"Hmm." After thinking for a few moments, Raiden's eyes lowered. He crossed his arms, exhaling slowly through his nostrils. "Very well," he decided at last. "You may stay here for as long as you need, Kaiya. However, I will have my eyes on you at all times. You were once a citizen of an enemy land, after all." Kaiya sighed inwardly, but she was glad a bastard like Raiden accepted her so easily. _Thanks, Dad._

Standing to her feet, she bowed, the twins following her. "Thank you, sir. I assure you, I'll be on my best behavior." Yoshi and Haru led her outside, where she let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding.

"Damn…I haven't been under that much pressure since the Chunin Exams," she stated, wiping sweat from her brow. Yoshi chuckled, though it appeared strained. She wondered what kind of relationship he had with his father. To her, Haru seemed to be the favorite, probably because he was the heir. Though, that didn't make their father like Ronin much before.

"Well, that's my father for you. Actually, I'm utterly surprised he let you stay. I thought he would've zapped you on the spot. Wouldn't be the first time." Yoshi frowned at Haru's comment. Crossing his arms, the older twin smirked knowingly. Yoshi sighed.

"I'm just waiting for the day Ronin comes back home and takes the clan from him." Kaiya frowned as Haru's eyes lowered. It wasn't that Yoshi didn't think his twin was capable of being a good leader; it was just that he couldn't stand his father being the head any longer, and he knew Haru wouldn't usurp him.

"What do you mean?" Kaiya asked. Yoshi closed his eyes.

"Ronin promised he'd do that one day. I still want to believe that's what he wants—to come back home—but it doesn't feel like he'll ever return at this point." Her eyes narrowed.

_"You already know my name, so goals of mine… Well, I would like to reclaim my clan and move it back to its original birthplace in the Land of Water." _

"He does." Yoshi, and even Haru, gave Kaiya a confused stare. She smiled. "When Team 11 first formed, Ronin-sensei told us that his goal was to reclaim his clan and move it back to Kiri." Yoshi's eyes softened as he let out a breath of relief. It almost seemed as if Haru's expression changed to one of relief as well.

"Well, that's good to hear." He scratched his neck nervously, then turned to Kaiya with a smirk. "Hey, I have something to show you." Kaiya blinked in question.

"What is it?" she wondered. The brothers shared a look before Haru grinned, the left side of his mouth turning upwards slowly. He nodded to the two of them before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed suspiciously as Yoshi smirked. "Where did he—" Before she could finish asking him, he took her by the hand and dragged her off into the fields behind their compound. There was a small meeting room used as a gathering place for the elders on matters too personal for the entire clan to know about. Kaiya didn't know what the heck Yoshi was doing, but she was about to knock him down to the ground and hold a kunai to his throat in order to find out.

_Feeling my way through the darkness_

_Guided by a beating heart_

_I can't tell where the journey will end_

_But I know where to start._


	5. Reunited With An Old Friend

_I want you to know_

_With everything I won't let this go_

_These words are my heart and soul_

_I'll hold on to this moment, you know_

_As I bleed my heart out to show_

_And I won't let go._

Yoshi slid open the door to the large, dimly lit room slowly, ushering her inside. She had no idea why he was taking her to such a place, where the only light came from a torch propped up against the cement wall on the farthest corner, to their left. There were many other unlit torches lined up every few feet around the entirety of the square building, yet only that single torch was being used.

"Honestly, Yoshi, this is a little sketchy, don't ya think?" Kaiya questioned, crossing her arms when he finally released her wrist. "I mean, this is either a failed attempt at a romantic setup, or you brought me here to murder me." Yoshi smiled cheekily, shaking his head as he held up his hands.

"You've got it all wrong, Kaiya," he assured her. "It's a surprise." She lifted an eyebrow.

"Surprise? What could you possibly surprise me with in this place?"

"Take one guess." Kaiya's eyes widened at the voice that came from the shadows. Though it had changed since the last time she'd heard it, she immediately recognized it.

"U-Usagi?!" Kaiya's jaw hit the floor as an artificial light above their heads flickered on so that Kaiya could clearly see her former teammate, who was sitting at a table in the middle of the room. Usagi smiled softly as she nodded. Her head was propped up against her fist, elbow on the table lazily.

"You're pretty good at guessing games," she said with a chuckle. "It's really you, after all these years. I thought I'd never see you again, to be honest. So imagine my surprise and delight when Yoshi and Haru told me that you were here." With her eyes bulged, Kaiya took a step toward her friend.

"I can't believe it…" Usagi stood to her feet leisurely, and though she seemed calm, she was reeling with emotion on the inside; the two embraced each other firmly, overwhelmed with seeing each other after so long. Usagi had definitely changed since Kaiya saw her last: Besides the fact that she was taller and her muscles were more defined, just like hers, her appearance almost drastically changed as well. She was only a few inches shorter than Kaiya, with her forehead protector wrapped around her neck loosely. Her hair, similar to Sasuke's in color, was in a high ponytail, reaching her mid-back; a few strands of hair fell over her face delicately. She was wearing a mesh bodysuit, like Anko's, covered by a close-fitted, red tank top and a grey skirt and red leggings, with blue sandals. Her onyx pupils were bright and wise.

Usagi looked at her long-lost teammate. She was taller, of course, and had even firmer muscles than before. Her hair was unbelievably long, in a tight braid that reached all the way down her back. At the moment she was wearing an outfit provided by the Arashi twins: A navy tank top and black shorts that reached mid-thigh with black sandals. Her bangs were longer, framing her jawbone on either side, reaching her shoulders. Her skin was tanner than before, her hands calloused. But her physical appearance wasn't what shocked Usagi the most. It was her eyes.

The dark green irises that Yasuo passed on to Kaiya were still the same vibrant color. But inside of them was almost nothing. Hardly any emotion could be seen in those emboldened pupils of hers. Before, there was a soft resonance that was almost always evident. There was passion, kindness, and determination that made her who she was. But now, all Usagi could depict was darkness, confidence, and a vacancy that she couldn't quite explain.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kaiya queried, still in shock. "What's going on?" She turned to Yoshi, who shrugged and pointed to Usagi.

"Ask her," he replied. "She came to us a while back, saying that if we should ever come across you to let her know. She wanted to see you before anyone else from your village." Usagi nodded. Kaiya sighed, rubbing the back of her head frustratingly.

"Well, this is a little awkward, I'll admit. Of all the places for us to see each other aga—" Something hard and fast collided with Kaiya's left cheek, knocking her to the ground. She landed on her right side, letting out an "Oomph!" as she did so. Yoshi's mouth dropped; his eyes widened in disbelief. Rubbing her cheek, Kaiya looked up at Usagi, whose arm was stretched out in front of her. She and Yoshi both looked at her in astonishment.

"Just who the hell do you think you are, Kaiya Umachi?" Usagi shouted, waving her fist in the air wildly. "You up and disappear out of nowhere without even saying goodbye! And of all the places you show up, it's here. You left us all wondering if you were captured or killed or just left because you hated us…" Usagi's sentence faded, and she took several deep breaths as she worked to calm herself down. Her angry expression changed to a somber one as Kaiya stood to her feet slowly. "We were so worried," she continued, calmer. "Some people even thought that you ran off with Sasuke." Kaiya's eyes widened, then lowered. She clenched her fists as she looked back up at her friend.

"I…I'm sorry, Usagi," she apologized. "I know I've hurt you—all of you—and I know I can't take it all back, but…I don't want you to hate me. I didn't leave because of any of you; I left because of me." Usagi's eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean?" Kaiya sighed, gripping the back of her neck.

"I needed to become stronger," she explained. "The village was holding me back, so I walked away from it. I know it was selfish, but I needed to leave. I needed to heal." Usagi lowered her head and crossed her arms, studying Kaiya for a few moments with an unreadable expression.

"Well, regardless of why you left, I'm just glad you're alright." Kaiya nodded, letting out a silent breath of relief.

The two girls sat and talked for a while. "Shouldn't Kioko be with you if you came all the way from Konoha?" Kaiya asked. Usagi closed her eyes; her arms were still crossed. Yoshi cleared his throat, pulling up a chair to sit with them. They paid him no mind as he kept silent.

"I suppose you wouldn't know…" Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed as Usagi folded her hands on the table. "About three months after you disappeared, Naruto left with Master Jiraiya to train—with permission, of course." Kaiya frowned. "About three months after that, Lady Tsunade informed Kioko and me that we would be leaving to train as well. She told us that we needed to learn how to utilize our powers to the fullest extent. So Kioko left with Lady Tori and Tsuki, and I left with Zen-sensei and the twins. I've been in Kumo ever since."

"Damn. How about that?" Kaiya showed a small smirk, letting out a sigh. "I wanted to know how everyone in the village is doing, but I guess it's better if I don't. I might be tempted to go back." Usagi gave Kaiya a worried look, and she knew what she was about to ask.

"Kaiya…_are_ you ever going to go back?" she wondered. Kaiya sighed and leaned back in her chair, averting her eyes to the wall. "We were all devastated when you left, and some people are blaming themselves." Kaiya's gaze lowered. She still wouldn't meet Usagi's eyes.

"Yeah? Like who?" Usagi shrugged.

"Ronin-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Asuma, Naruto…Kioko and me—because of…well, you know." Turning away, Kaiya nodded.

"Yeah. I was angry and hurt for a long time, and I still don't like thinking back to it, but…I know that you guys were doing the right thing. They were too far into the darkness, and I couldn't save them. When they threatened the people I cared about, the only thing left to do was take them down." Usagi tightened her ponytail as Yoshi looked between them, slightly confused. He hadn't heard about her long-lost siblings. He didn't even know who they were talking about. "I don't blame you guys—and I never did. I blamed myself."

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter now," Usagi decided.

Later that night, after dinner, Usagi left to return to her residence with Zen. Though she didn't seem to be, Kaiya was exhausted. Her injuries had healed almost completely, but she was still worn out. She couldn't sleep, even though she wanted to, so she left her room and decided to stare at the stars from the roof of the main compound.

"You really do like the sky." Kaiya turned her attention to Yoshi, who sat beside her. "I remember the last time we met like this, you were doing the exact same thing. It does seem comforting." Kaiya nodded, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Yeah… Hey, Yoshi?" The latter reclined as he tore his eyes from the sky down to her.

"What is it?"

"I…" Looking at the tin tiles of the roof she was lying on, she sighed. "It's easy to talk to you," she admitted coyly, avoiding his piercing eyes as he gazed at her tenderly. "So I wanted to tell you why I seemed so upset earlier." She paused, letting out a small breath. "It's Sa—"

"If you're trying to tell me that Sasuke became a rogue ninja, I already know," Yoshi confessed, cutting her off. He looked back up at the stars as Kaiya blinked, her mouth open in surprise.

"You…you do? How?" She sat up as Yoshi smiled sadly.

"This." He pulled out a small, black book from his weapons pouch, handing it to Kaiya. She stared at it in confusion for a few moments, before finally realizing what it was.

"A Bingo Book," she said. He nodded.

"The ANBU Black Ops in every country have these," Yoshi explained. "No matter where a missing-nin goes, we have their faces, names, and information in the palm of our hands. While it's the responsibility of each nation to dispose of their own rogues themselves, we each have an obligation to protect our village against any and every threat." Kaiya nodded, turning to the last page, where she saw Sasuke's picture and information. Her hands began to shake at the thought of people attempting to assassinate the young Uchiha. She closed the book quickly, handing it back to Yoshi. He put it back in his pouch and rested a hand on Kaiya's shoulder.

"Kaiya…"

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?" she wondered, staring at his chest. He had changed out of his ANBU uniform and was now wearing a short-sleeved, blue shirt and black shorts. His messy, black hair sat loosely over his eyes, covering his forehead where his headband usually sat. Sighing, Yoshi shrugged.

"You didn't look like you wanted to talk about it. From the way you act when he's mentioned, he broke your heart in a way that you haven't come to terms with. Right?" Kaiya wondered how he could read her so easily. She bowed her head.

"It was the night he left the village," she explained. "He told me that he'd never love me, and that he had to sever our bond to gain power. He even injured me to keep me from following him. All of this was after I begged him to stay and admitted that I was in love with him. I…even tried to go with him." Yoshi nodded.

"So that's it." After a pause, Yoshi turned, and his hand slowly moved from Kaiya's shoulder to her back, while his other arm wrapped around her waist. He pulled her into his chest, surprising her. He held her for a few moments before she wrapped both of her arms around his torso and closed her eyes. She took in his scent as her eyes began to burn. "I'm sorry, Kaiya. I'm sorry that he didn't realize how good he had it. You deserve someone who loves you more than their deepest desire."

After a minute or two, Yoshi let Kaiya go, and she turned and faced ahead, facing the estate that had mostly settled down for the night. She stood to her feet slowly, deciding it was time to get to sleep herself. Yoshi followed her. "Do you really believe that?" she inquired absentmindedly, still facing in the same direction. Yoshi lowered his eyes.

"Believe what?"

"That he had it good," she replied timidly. Yoshi smiled, staring at his feet for a few moments before looking back up at her. With his hand, he gently took her chin and turned her head to face him.

"I do. You're amazing, Kaiya." Her eyes shimmered before she looked away with a somber expression.

"No I'm not," she told him. Yoshi's eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean? Of course you are." He could see that she wanted to cry. For a moment he thought she would. But she didn't.

"Well if I'm so great…if I'm so great, then why did he leave me?" Her voice lowered to a soft whisper as she stared at the tiles beneath her feet. Yoshi frowned as he contemplated her honest question. _Damn this guy for giving her hell like this. He'd better hope that I never get my hands on him._ "He chose revenge over me. How am I supposed to think I'm worth anything if I couldn't convince the person I loved to stay with me?" Yoshi's gaze softened as he leaned his forehead against Kaiya's. She stiffened, but after he made no further advance, she relaxed slightly.

"Maybe it's because you didn't love the right person," he retorted quietly, lifting his head to gently press his lips against her forehead. Kaiya's eyes widened in surprise at his gesture. His touch was cool and comforting, only lasting for a few seconds. When he pulled away, he smiled before taking a step back and turned around. "Goodnight, Kaiya." The latter blinked, her cheeks heated and her mind hazy.

"Goodnight, Yoshi."

_Just because you were hurt_

_Doesn't mean you shouldn't bleed_

_I can be anyone, anything_

_I promise I can be what you need._


	6. Coming Home

**IaniDG11: Thanks! And yes. I think in a few chapters he will show up:)**

_The world we know won't come back_

_The time we've lost, can't get back_

_This world will never be what I expected._

The next day, Kaiya was feeling completely rejuvenated, so she set out to her next destination: Ame. It had been where they were heading before being pursued by the ANBU in the Cloud. If Kuro disappeared, she knew that he would be waiting for her somewhere along the way to the Hidden Rain. The bastard didn't even have the decency to come back to see if she was alright. Some master.

_He's the one that wanted to go the long way so that we could avoid the Leaf and the jerk leaves me at the first sign of trouble._

At least she had some peace and quiet for a few days.

Instead of passing directly through the Land of Rice Patties, she took a boat to the Land of Mountains between the Hidden Waterfall and the Land of Rice Patties. She wanted to avoid going into the Sound just as much as the Fire Country. From the Land of Mountains she entered Taki, and then from there Kusa. She had been traveling for about four days without any sign of Kuro anywhere. She tried not to think much about it, but it wasn't like him to keep her waiting for so long. She would arrive in Ame in less than a day, and if Kuro didn't appear by then, she didn't know what she would do. Because of the great distance between where he had vanished and their destination, it would be almost impossible to search for him.

"Damn it, Kuro-sensei," she muttered, frowning. "Why do you always have to make things more difficult than necessary?" She stopped in her tracks at that moment, swiftly pulling out a kunai and throwing it as hard as she could behind her, where she sensed a presence. The kunai hit a tree, digging deep into its bark with a whoosh. Her eyes lowered suspiciously as she pulled another kunai out of her bag. _I know someone was there…_

"Miss me?" Kaiya turned around just as Kuro touched her shoulder. Her eyes widened, and then she frowned.

"Kuro-sensei, what the hell!" she shouted angrily, shoving him away. "You bastard, you were gonna let me get arrested and dragged back to Konoha! And then you left me for a week by myself! Why are you showing up here, of all places?!" Finally relieved of her anger, Kaiya crossed her arms and waited for his answer. Kuro stared at her blankly for a moment before sighing. His eyes searched her quietly.

"Forgive me," he apologized, holding up his hands in surrender. Kaiya's eyebrows creased. "I knew that you were strong enough to defend yourself. I figured leaving you to fight them off would be a good teaching tool for you. Anyway, let's go. We've wasted enough time." Kaiya's grip on the kunai tightened so much that her knuckles turned white. She nodded curtly, following him on the path to the Rain Country. The security was heavy, and very few people could enter or exit without permission. But Kuro had traveled most of his life, so he was able to go in and out of the small country without any trouble. But that's not what had Kaiya on edge.

They traveled for about fifteen minutes before Kaiya stopped. Kuro turned around and halted his footsteps. "What is it? Do you need a break?" Kaiya's eyes lowered dangerously. She shook her head. She still had her fingers wrapped around her weapon.

"No, I'm fine. It's just…" Kuro lifted an eyebrow.

"What is it?" he asked impatiently. "We don't have any time to lose." Kaiya's eyebrows creased, wrinkling her forehead.

"We're not going in the direction of Ame," she pointed out starkly. Kuro blinked. "You must think I'm an idiot to fall for your pathetic attempt at a transformation. I noticed right away that you weren't Kuro-sensei. First of all, he never apologizes. Second of all, he's always cynical and tough on me, but he'd never have me face an opponent I'm not ready for, just for the sake of teaching me a lesson. And then there's the fact that we're going the wrong direction. Kuro-sensei showed me a map of our route before we entered Kumo, just in case we got separated on the way. Besides, I spent quite a bit of time around here when I was younger. We're heading towards the Land of Fire. Now, tell me who you really are and where my sensei is."

She was surprisingly calm. The agent masquerading as her master was expecting her to attack him and threaten him, like she did to the ANBU agents the other day. He also wasn't expecting her to have caught on so quickly. Smirking, a cloud of smoke covered him, and when it cleared his true identity was revealed. Her eyes widened, and the kunai slid from her fingers as her arm slacked.

"You're smarter than I anticipated," he stated. "I'll have to be more careful next time." Kaiya took a step back slowly, her entire body trembling.

"N-Neji…" The sixteen-year-old grinned.

"It's been a long time, Kaiya." She shook her head, bringing her hands to her chest as she backed herself into a tree.

"How…how the hell did you find me?" she stammered, taking deep, heavy breaths as she tried to process what was happening. Her head was swimming, her heartbeat increasing every second. She broke into a cold sweat, confusion evident on her face. "It's been over two years." Neji nodded, making no attempt to approach her.

"Yes. The four ANBU that cornered you in Kumo were only half of the troops sent to find you. The other half went after Kuro Kensei. Lady Tsunade knew he'd separate from you if the authorities ever found you," he explained coolly. "He was captured a few days ago in this very spot, so we knew he was waiting for you." Kaiya's eyes lowered.

"So you arrested Kuro-sensei, and now you're attempting to arrest me," she figured. Neji frowned, his large, white eyes peering down at her with an unreadable expression. He was a few inches taller than her, and she knew for a fact that he was stronger, smarter, and more skilled than her; it wouldn't matter if her speed outmatched his.

"Lady Tsunade doesn't want you arrested. She just wants you home." Shaking her head, Kaiya gripped the trunk of the tree as tightly as she could, as if that would keep her from being taken.

"No…I don't have a home. Not anymore." She stared at the dirt, her bottom lip quivering. Neji took his first step forward, putting her on high alert. She was more emotional now than she had been for almost three years. That was one of the benefits of being away from Konoha—she didn't have to feel all the burdening emotions that came with having bonds. Such as the regret that was washing over her now like a wave in a tropical storm.

"Kaiya, please," Neji urged. "Don't resist. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way."

"I never did like to play by the rules." Kaiya lifted her head, revealing a smirk. Neji frowned, jumping into action, using his Eight-Trigrams to keep her from escaping, but it was too late. His fingers sent the tree into splinters, but Kaiya was already gone.

"Damn it!" He shook his head, letting out a frustrated sigh. "It's up to the others now." He used his Byakugan to pinpoint her direction so that he could relay it to the others. "She's heading northwest. Right in your direction, Shikamaru. And she's coming at a ridiculous speed. Be ready for anything."

"Copy that."

Kaiya jetted through the trees, convincing herself not to look back, for fear that Neji was following her. Though he wasn't as fast, he would be able to outmaneuver her easily. Neji was skilled in many areas, and with his damn Byakugan, it was hard to determine how far she could get before she was out of his eyesight. If he was following her, it would be a lot harder to escape.

Sweat dripped down her brow as she jumped from one tree branch to the next. She could return to the Hidden Cloud and once again find refuge with Yoshi and Haru, but that would eventually cause tension between both Tsunade and the Raikage. She didn't want to escalate anything between nations. She just wanted to get away. _There's no way he's alone, _she thought as she headed into the Earth Country. She and Kuro had been getting in and out of countries with no problem for years; the Leaf, however, were enemies of Iwa. If they enter, they'll either be arrested or attacked. Hopefully they were smart enough not to follow her into enemy territory.

Her breathing was heavy; her lungs were expanding painfully. It appeared that she hadn't recovered enough to push herself as much as she usually did. But in order to escape her former comrades, she had to keep going. She wondered if Kuro had really been captured or if it was just another one of his tricks. She didn't know what she would do if he had been taken back to the Leaf. He was still much stronger than her, and if he couldn't handle them, then she definitely wouldn't be able to either.

After a minute or two of running, she figured that Neji wasn't following her. However, she did sense a hoard of familiar chakra nearby. She turned to the east, but before she saw anything, she all of a sudden froze in midair, then flew backwards, landing on the ground harshly. She slid to a painful stop shortly after her fall, groaning as she realized she couldn't move her body. _Am I paralyzed…?_ she asked herself. Rather than her answering herself, another voice took the liberty to do so.

_No, Kaiya. You've been caught in our trap._

Wait a second. She recognized that voice. Even though time had altered it, she still knew it well.

"I-Ino?!" A picture of the blonde appeared in Kaiya's mind. Her countenance was serious, somber. It was something Kaiya had only seen on her once or twice.

"It's been a long time," Ino said, lowering her eyes. "But you're finally coming home." Kaiya's subconscious figure frowned.

"No, I'm not," she corrected her sternly. Looking around, she smirked. "Your Mind Transfer Jutsu always follows Shikamaru's Shadow Possession. That means that he's here too. And Choji, I'm guessing." Ino's eyebrows creased, but she said nothing. "I hope you're not planning on flattening me to get me to go back." Ino looked away, though there was nothing to see in the darkness of Kaiya's mind.

"Kaiya…why wouldn't you want to come home? Don't you care about us?" Anger and resentment boiled deep within Kaiya's gut, and she gritted her teeth.

"Why is everyone asking me that?" she snapped. "What's so great about me anyway? Why can't you people just let me go?!"

At that moment, Ino returned to her body, and Kaiya opened her eyes to the real world. Shikamaru and Choji were standing over her as she kneeled on the ground, frozen by Shikamaru's jutsu. Ino's body was leaned up against a tree. When her consciousness returned, she opened her eyes and stood to her feet, joining her teammates. Kaiya snarled up at the three of them, secretly taking in how much they'd changed since she saw them last. They were doing the same, nostalgia hitting them like a ton of bricks—especially Shikamaru. The two had been good friends before.

"It's almost like you guys are throwing a welcome home party for me," Kaiya remarked, smirking cynically. Her eyes stayed pinpointed on Shikamaru, who was reading them like a book. He noticed the same thing Usagi had when she first saw Kaiya after so long. They were empty. Dark. Almost lifeless. "Who else is here?"

Shikamaru remained silent as he kept his eyes glued on Kaiya. A few minutes later, he sighed. He made her stand, still engrossed in his jutsu, and they began walking back in the direction of Neji and who-knows-who-else without a word.

She was extremely frustrated that he didn't answer her question. And he knew that.

When they returned to Neji's side, Tenten, Lee, and Guy were there as well. Kaiya's eyes widened, and then she frowned.

"Why the hell are all of you here?!" she asked angrily. "Is this some kind of sick reunion or something?" Shikamaru turned and looked back at her for the first time in five minutes.

"Lady Tsunade thought it would be easier for your friends to take you back, rather than strangers who were prone to harm you if you resisted," he explained. His countenance was calm and collected. He didn't seem bored like he normally did, as far as Kaiya could remember. It was probably because, even though he probably wouldn't admit it, seeing her after so long was too invigorating.

Frowning, Kaiya stared at the next three comrades that had made their appearance. Guy stared at her with an undecipherable expression. He was most likely thinking of what Kakashi was going to say when he saw her. She closed her eyes for a moment. She had hurt Kakashi most of all, and she knew it. The memory of what she said to him before she left was still fresh in her mind. After that episode, he probably hated her and didn't want anything to do with her. If she returned to the Leaf, things could never be the same between them—between any of them.

Kaiya knew that if she didn't ever return to the Leaf, she wouldn't have to own up to what she'd done. She wouldn't have to face her friends and explain why she left, what Sasuke's betrayal had done to her. She didn't have to ever apologize. Kuro had once told her that apologizing was weakness. She needed to let go and move on, or she would be stuck in the past forever. And if she was stuck in the past, she couldn't accomplish anything. That's why she asked Kuro to help get rid of her emotions. If she did that, then she could focus on her goal: killing Orochimaru. Nothing would hold her back, especially the regret of leaving everyone. But now that all of the people of her past were flooding back into her life…

"I don't want to go back," she said, for what seemed like the thousandth time. "Why don't you people seem to get that?" She was tired. She didn't want to fight. She didn't want to run. But she didn't want to return to Konoha. She didn't want to return home.

"We'll let you know when the time comes," Neji said, tying her hands behind her back with thick rope. They knew that once Shikamaru's jutsu lifted, she would try to run again. "If you manage to get out of this, I'll have no choice but to use my Eight Trigrams to immobilize you completely, so do us all a favor and don't make this harder than it has to be." Kaiya mumbled under her breath, but she made no other comment. Shikamaru cautiously released his Shadow Possession. Nobody moved, waiting to see what she would do. After a few moments, Kaiya rolled her eyes.

"Are we going to stand here all day or are we going to get a move on? I'm tired and starving. Thanks to you guys, I won't be having dinner or a good night's rest anytime soon." Shikamaru resisted the urge to smirk, and then nodded.

"Alright, let's go," he ordered. "We should make it to the Leaf by dawn." That meant that they were going to be walking all night. Kaiya groaned, bowing her head in defeat as her stomach growled loudly.

After several hours, well into the night, Kaiya was fighting off sleep, as she had been for a while. Shikamaru was walking beside her, while Neji kept a good pace behind them; Guy and Tenten were up front, and Lee was behind with his male teammate. Ino and Choji were to the left and right of the group. Though Kaiya was once again exhausted, she kept her senses alert at all times. Since she was falling asleep, it was more difficult, but she made sure to always keep her ears sharp. From what she could tell, there was no way she would be able to get away, especially since she wasn't at her best. The only exception would be to use Jin's chakra, but that would be going against her promise never to use that kind of power on a comrade. Even the people she left behind.

On the verge of dawn, Kaiya could see the opening of the trees that led to her former home. Nostalgia flooded her, and she fought it off, numbed by the longing for sleep. She could all of a sudden sense the anxiety and the tension of the seven shinobi surrounding her. They were getting closer to finding what they've been searching for the past two-and-a-half years: answers.

They had so many questions. And Kaiya knew it.

Finally, someone was brave enough to speak. "We have to know," Choji began, stating what the others were thinking. They were in a tight formation now, with each person being no more than five feet away from her. She felt claustrophobic, but she was too tired to make a remark. "Where did you go? Where have you been all this time? Some of us thought you left with Sasuke or were kidnapped by your trainer." Kaiya's back stiffened, and she lowered her eyes. Ino clenched her fists.

"You owe us a lot of explanations," she added frustratingly. "Why did you leave Konoha? And why don't you want to return? What did we do to you to make you leave? I don't understand!" Her face twisted into a look of betrayal, confusion, and anger. Shikamaru stared at the two girls quietly. He wanted to ask the same questions—they all did—but he didn't want to offend Kaiya and make her angrier and more uncomfortable than she already was. After so long, he was just happy to see she was alright. He'd never tell her, but he knew that she knew how he felt. He figured that in time, if she really wanted to tell them why she left, she would. He knew how stubborn she was. No amount of yelling or threatening would make her any more inclined to tell them her reasons for disappearing.

Kaiya scoffed, her lips turning downward into a frown as her eyebrows creased. She begrudgingly averted her eyes to the ground, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. "I really don't think it's any of your damn business," she sputtered. Since when were her and Ino friends anyway? She, along with Sakura, should be the least concerned with her defection. She kicked a small rock across the path, watching as it veered off into the grass on the side of the forest path. Finally, she looked back up at everyone else.

"Come on, Kaiya!" Choji exclaimed. "What are you talking about?! You left without a trace, and we haven't seen you in almost three years! Don't you know—"

"I left the village because I was tired of being locked up in a cage," Kaiya snapped. "Does that answer satisfy you? It was my decision, and I don't have to say anything more about it. If I'm going to have to tell anyone about this, it sure as hell wouldn't be any of you. Just be glad I'm going quietly and leave it at that. I'm not someone you want upset." Shikamaru's eyes lowered.

"What are you saying—that you'd hurt us?" Kaiya looked down.

"If you think I'm the same girl I was when I left, you'd be making a mistake," she warned in a low tone. "Don't assume that I won't do something just because you used to know me." Ino huffed and crossed her arms, turning away angrily. Kaiya grunted, turning forward, ignoring the placid look on Shikamaru's face. A few minutes passed before Kaiya's expression lifted slightly. "What…what's going to happen to Kuro-sensei?" she asked. No one said anything for a moment.

"Lady Tsunade wants to question him," Guy finally answered. He kept his eyes straight ahead, keeping a quick step. They all wanted to get to Konoha as soon as possible. Everyone except for Kaiya, that is. The latter turned her head behind her. "He'll be incarcerated soon. Whether or not he'll be put to death is up to the Jonin Council and the Hokage." Kaiya's eyes widened, and she turned forward. She tried to hide the mortified expression on her face, but Shikamaru caught it.

"This entire time, you were training, weren't you? That's why you left." Kaiya closed her eyes, indicating the answer to his question. "You called him sensei. That means the two of you are pretty close." _Typical Shikamaru…nothing gets past him._ "Kuro Kensei was your trainer for the Third Exam, and the few of us on this mission were told that he and you disappeared from the village together. It was a relief to know that you hadn't gone with Sasuke." Kaiya snarled.

"Maybe I should have. You guys wouldn't have found me, then." Shikamaru frowned, but didn't say anything. Everyone's eyes turned to Kaiya.

"That is insane!" For the first time, Lee spoke to her. "You would be dead. Everyone in the village misses you." Kaiya scoffed.

"Yeah, right," she mumbled, bowing her head. The faces of everyone she cared about flashed before her: Naruto, Kakashi, Asuma, Tsunade, her team, and the people around her now. She had to force the images away. "Everyone in the village probably hates me for walking out on them; they'll see me as a traitor. I could never face them." _I could never face myself._ For two-and-a-half years, those images haunted her every night, and sometimes they kept her from sleeping. The guilt weighed heavy on her soul every waking moment, and when she slept she dreamt of the home she adored and wanted so badly to protect. It had taken her almost a year to finally accept that she'd left and there was a chance she may never return. She was just getting used to the idea, and now this!

_It's not my time_

_I'm not going_

_There's a fear in me, it's not showing_

_This could be the end of me and everything I know_

_Oh, but I won't go._


	7. Caged Bird

_I can't escape this hell_

_So many times I've tried_

_But I'm still caged inside_

_Somebody get me through this nightmare._

They stopped about five minutes later and wrapped Kaiya in a large cloak. She frowned. "What's this for?" she wondered irritably. Shikamaru crossed his arms.

"We want to avoid a mob if at all possible," he replied. "If any of the others saw you, it would create a lot of problems. Besides, you don't want a lot of people running up to you, do you? Especially with your enthusiasm of returning." Kaiya groaned, rolling her eyes at his cynicism.

"Whatever." _You shouldn't have a right to talk about _my_ enthusiasm… _Kaiya's stomach growled as they trudged on. She saw the village gates through the trees, the pain in her heart growing with every step. She bit her lip in anticipation, taking calm, even breaths to gain her composure. She couldn't appear weak, not after all the training she did. By the time they made it to the entrance, she was calm. She wiped the emotion off of her face, so that nothing but a cold, stoic expression remained. No one could see it because of the cloak's hood.

As soon as they set foot in the village, a heaviness settled over Kaiya, like two cinderblocks had been placed on her shoulders. And then there was her heart, which felt like an elephant was sitting inside of her chest, slowly weighing her down. Her feet felt dense, and she could barely move them. That was most likely from walking so long nonstop. Her head was swimming, her vision hazy. She didn't know if she could keep a straight face with that kind of pressure all over her.

As the minutes ticked by, it became easier to breathe. Shikamaru and the others took their time getting to the Hokage Mansion, so it took longer than it normally would have. They didn't want to alert anyone that there was something happening. They wanted to keep Kaiya's return a secret for as long as possible. No one outside of the group that captured her, the Hokage, and the ANBU were told about it. Neither was anyone told about Kuro's arrest.

Kaiya's stomach growled again as they passed Ichiraku Ramen, and she told herself that the first thing she was going to do after sorting all of her mess was get a large, heaping bowl of Shoyu ramen, perhaps with her best friend alongside her.

If he didn't hate her, of course.

Though she was highly upset she was there, Kaiya was relieved to see that at a moment's glance, the village seemed to be doing well. There didn't seem to be any damage that hadn't been there before. In fact, most of the destruction inflicted during Orochimaru's assault was just about repaired. The villagers were happy, laughing as they ran off to eat lunch in various places.

Kaiya grinned to herself as she planned several getaways in her head. She'd been thinking of them ever since she was captured, but she knew she couldn't do any right away. Or alone.

_They'll let me see Kuro-sensei; I know they will. And when they do…_

The group made it to the Hokage Mansion without incident. Guy knocked on the door, stationing Kaiya in front of them. When Tsunade called them in, they stepped inside the door, closing it. Tsunade's eyes lowered when she saw the cloaked figure with a bowed head. She let out a deep breath and turned to Guy.

"I see that your mission was successful," she stated, giving him a satisfied nod. Guy turned to Kaiya, who was waiting for the older woman to address her. "Take off her cloak." Neji did as he was instructed and pulled the cloth away from Kaiya's body, separating her from the safeness of the shawl; he cut her ropes so that her hands were finally free. She twisted her wrists to get rid of the mild soreness. The Hokage clenched her fists, stepping away from her desk to approach the composed teen. Tsunade was speechless as she stared at her. "…" She could form no words to express what she was feeling or thinking at first.

After taking in her appearance for a few moments, Tsunade let out a silent breath before she went back to her desk and took a seat calmly, the stoic expression on her face matching Kaiya's as the latter finally looked up. She stared the Hokage right in the eye and waited for her to say something. Her eyebrows creased slightly, letting Tsunade know that she was not afraid.

"Team Guy, Team Asuma…your mission is complete," Tsunade declared, finding her voice. "Leave us now." Shikamaru glanced at Kaiya. He wanted to stay behind to hear what she had to say, but with the look Tsunade was giving her he knew it was best to just leave. When the others were gone, Tsunade took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she tried to think of the best way to go about the situation. Honestly, she was still in shock. While she had been planning to retrieve Kaiya for years and had been preparing herself for this moment, it still felt like a dream. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure that it wasn't, but instead she opened her eyes and glared at the kunoichi in front of her.

Kaiya had changed so much in so little time. She was noticeably taller—probably taller than Sakura. Her hair was tied into a long braid. Her skin was tanner, probably from traveling and training in the sun for hours on end. Her muscle definition was clearly visible thanks to the tank top she was wearing. And her eyes… Just like the others that had seen her, she noticed their aloofness. From the poker face she was wearing now, she couldn't tell what she was thinking—which was new. Somehow, Kaiya had managed to separate herself from her emotions. That meant that she was capable of anything. Tsunade had to stay on guard and be careful. No telling what she learned from Kuro the past three years.

"I have a lot to say to you, Kaiya Umachi." The latter's eyebrows furrowed, and she crossed her arms. She was prepared for Tsunade to lash out at her, and from the looks of things, she wasn't intimidated at all.

"I'm waiting," Kaiya retorted, lifting an eyebrow. Tsunade frowned, lowering her eyes in a warning. _She's candor, but she's calm. What does that mean? What's on her mind?_

"I'm so angry at you right now, I could punch you so hard your jaw would snap in half," she admitted through clenched teeth. Kaiya's eyes widened, almost unnoticeably, and she clenched her jaw protectively, swallowing hard as she imagined it. "However, as Hokage, I'm going to handle this calmly and orderly. I'm going to ask that you do the same." Kaiya said nothing. "First things first: I want an explanation. Why did you leave without permission? If you wanted to train with Kuro, a request wouldn't have been difficult to make. There was no need to run away." Kaiya scoffed, averting her eyes to the wall on her left.

"Do you honestly think I left solely to train with Kuro-sensei?" Tsunade frowned in question. "I'm sure Kakashi told you what I said to him. I didn't want anything to do with the Leaf anymore. I was tired of being kept on a leash like a dog. I left this village for one reason: freedom. I was meant to fly, not be cooped up in a cage."

"Freedom from what?" Tsunade leaned forward on her desk as Kaiya lowered her head.

"Bonds," she answered, matter-of-factly. The Hokage blinked. "Kuro-sensei told me shortly after we departed that bonds were short for bondages. Holding on to them would only bring me down and keep me from soaring, like shackles on a bird."

"And do you truly believe that?" Tsunade crossed her arms. "What about Naruto and Kakashi? Or your team? What about all of the people you've come to love in this village?" Kaiya suddenly became angry, and she let out a frustrated scream as she thrashed out and slammed her palm on Tsunade's desk. The wood cracked, sending splinters flying to the left and right. The older woman's eyes bulged at her raw strength, and she stood up to match Kaiya's hateful glare. She simmered, waiting for her to attack. But she didn't.

"Love?" Kaiya repeated with a humorless chuckle. "Is love even real?" She turned away from Tsunade, pacing around her office. At this point, Tsunade wasn't sure if she would try to escape or attack, but she had ANBU officers stationed at every exit to the building, just in case. And she could hold her own if she had to. "All the people I've come to _love_ have let me down. My father died, my mother disappeared, and my siblings turned against me." She clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles turned white. "Itachi abandoned me, Kakashi lied to me, Naruto couldn't bring back Sasuke, and Sasuke himself…" Kaiya's heated countenance suddenly changed to a somber one. "Sasuke left me. Just like his brother."

Tsunade felt the sting of Kaiya's words. She swallowed a bitter taste in her mouth as she slowly took a seat. "That's why I left." Kaiya calmed down quickly, letting out a slow breath through her nostrils. "Love is an emotion that a shinobi should not bear. This place was full of those people and their memories, and I had to get away. I had to let go, or else I wouldn't have been able to move on. I was held back by fear—fear that I would lose the ones that I haven't lost already; fear that I wouldn't be strong enough to protect them. That's what love is—fear. Fear to be alone, fear to let go. When Kuro-sensei warned me, I didn't believe him at first. I thought he was full of it. But now that I've come back here, I know that he was right. Everything has come flooding back, and I can barely move because of all the emotions on my shoulders. It's suffocating."

Kaiya grabbed at her heart, clenching her fist over her shirt. She shook, feeling the relief of letting out her anger at last. She'd had it pent up inside of her for too long.

Tsunade studied Kaiya for several minutes. Neither one made any effort to move after her episode.

"It just so happens that Team Kakashi is looking for another member," Tsunade said, seemingly ignoring Kaiya's vent. She frowned.

"What's that got to do with me?" she wondered. Sighing, the Hokage shook her head.

"Danzo is pushing for one of his own, probably to spy on Naruto…I'll probably have no choice but to oblige." Kaiya raised an eyebrow, wondering if the Fifth was really talking to her or if she was talking to herself. Biting her thumb, Tsunade turned and looked out the window. It was late afternoon, well past lunchtime now. Kaiya had never been so hungry. "Kaiya…I want you to join Team Kakashi as a fourth member. It's out of protocol, but under the circumstances I think—"

"Are you out of your mind?!" Kaiya shouted, throwing her arms up in the air. "Did you not hear a word I just said? Why the hell would I join Team Kakashi? And who said that I wanted to be on _any_ team?" She gritted her teeth, shaking from irritation. "I forgot how poorly you people listen around here." Tsunade chuckled, despite the fact that she wanted to send Kaiya flying through the roof. However, judging by the strength she displayed earlier when she slammed her palm on her desk, it wouldn't be easy.

"Consider it punishment for defecting from the village." Tsunade's smile disappeared. "Also, consider it your redemption." Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed as her eyes lowered in question. "Despite your anger and resentment, I know that you care for Naruto and will protect him with your life. There's a very important mission I'm sending Team Kakashi on in a couple of days, and I want you to be there."

"You're going to trust me, just like that?" Kaiya asked, crossing her arms. "How do you know I won't run again? I can easily overpower Sakura and Naruto; and Kakashi wouldn't hurt me, no matter what I did to him. That's just the person he is. And whoever this Danzo guy sends…well, I wouldn't have to worry about holding back against a stranger." She smirked. Tsunade's eyes narrowed, and she propped her elbows on top of her desk, lacing her fingers together unworriedly.

"I already told you: consider it your punishment," she retorted with a cold stare. "Kakashi was injured during Team Kakashi's last mission, so I'm sending one of my ANBU as a replacement." Kaiya frowned. Tsunade resisted the urge to smirk, knowing that she was slowly catching on now. "He's very…special. Not like Naruto, but special enough. No matter how much training you've had, it won't be enough to defeat him." The teen scoffed. It was obvious that she'd picked up on Kuro's arrogance. Unless the arrogance was just a wall. "This ANBU will watch you at all times and monitor you. You won't be left alone for one moment. And take this as your only warning: If you run, I will have you hunted down as a rogue ninja. And I won't be so lenient the next time you're captured. Dead or alive."

Kaiya gritted her teeth, a snarl slowly crossing her face. She knew now that even with Kuro's help, it was useless to escape, unless she wanted to live the rest of her life as a fugitive. Or killed by members of her own village. She was able to enter other lands with Kuro because she wasn't named a missing-nin, but once the other nations get word of her official betrayal to the Leaf, she won't be able to go anywhere without having to watch her back.

"And what do you hope this will accomplish, other than keeping me where you can see me?" Kaiya cracked her neck, showing little emotion to what Tsunade had just commanded. The latter closed her eyes.

"I want you to remember what you had here," she answered simply. "You, as well as all of your friends, have changed. But I know one thing that remains the same for all of you: the duty to protect this village. As much as you'd like to pretend you don't, Kaiya, I know that you still have the Will of Fire burning in your heart. After all, if you didn't, you would have harmed Shikamaru and the others to get away." Kaiya grunted, turning her head away.

"Hn." The Fifth sighed, shaking her head as she leaned back in the chair. She needed a drink ASAP. When she and Kaiya were done discussing things, she was sending Shizune to get her a lot of sake. "What am I supposed to do in the meantime? I don't have a home here anymore; I have nowhere to sleep." Even though Kaiya tried to hide it, Tsunade could see that she was drained. There were bags starting to form under her eyes, and her body was swaying to and fro, almost unnoticeably. She was probably concentrating unbelievably hard to keep her balance.

"Tomorrow, I'll let you speak with Kuro, before he's sentenced." Again, Tsunade seemed to ignore Kaiya. "I still haven't decided what to do with him yet. Maybe if you agreed to stay here without any trouble, his sentence would lighten." Kaiya placed one hand on her hip, clenching her fist with the other. She was trying to bribe her, but if it meant that Kuro would receive grace, she was willing to do so. "I'll have an apartment set up for you. In the meantime, you're free to walk around the village at your own risk. And keep in mind that my agents are watching you 24/7." Rolling her eyes, Kaiya let out an exaggerated sigh of frustration.

"Jeez, I get it already!" she groaned, throwing back her head. "Can I go now?" Tsunade shook her head. Kaiya blinked in question.

"One more thing, Kaiya," she said, just before the brunette turned around. "It's about Kioko and Usagi." Kaiya's face became stoic again. She straightened her back.

"I saw Usagi in Kumo," she admitted. Tsunade's eyes widened. "I already know that they're not here in the village." Tsunade nodded, tapping her fingers against her desk.

"That's true." Her eyes narrowed. "I ordered Usagi and Kioko to train after you left. But that's not the only thing I wanted to tell you." Kaiya's eyebrows lifted slightly. "During the time between your absence and their departure, Usagi became Chunin, and Team 11 became Team Ronin, just like all of the other teams your age." Kaiya's jaw clenched. "Later on, they were promoted to Jonin." Kaiya's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped onto the wooden floor, despite herself.

"W-what the hell?" she shouted. Balling her hand into a fist, she waved it in front of her face dramatically. It was funny how quickly her expression changed from apathy to outrage. "You're saying that they outrank me?!" Tsunade grinned, nodding. She laughed inside. _Sometimes she can be like Naruto, even though she's been trying to keep her cool this whole time, _she thought. Kaiya sagged her shoulders, lowering her head in shame.

"I feel like such a fool," she murmured miserably. "To think that Kioko surpassed me. And Usagi didn't even say anything." While she brooded, Tsunade shrugged, turning her head to look out the window again, as she often did. She smiled, standing to her feet and approaching the sill. The sun was making its way to the west, where it would set in a few hours.

"Well, there's still time to redeem yourself. All you have to do is regain my trust, complete missions, and give the village time to forgive you and move on. But you're going to have to work hard to get there." Kaiya's defeated expression quickly changed again. The determination reset in her eyes, and for a moment she almost seemed like the Kaiya Tsunade remembered.

"If there's one thing I've learned with Kuro-sensei over the years, it's how to work hard," she stated. "Believe me." After a pause, Kaiya reevaluated herself and the situation she was facing. Sighing, she said, "I'm going to be a great shinobi like my father—that desire hasn't changed." Tsunade let out a silent breath of relief. Kaiya had returned. And though she wasn't quite the same, the Fifth knew that she would come to light eventually. She was older, stronger, and lost, but she was still Kaiya Umachi, the daughter of Yasuo, the Hurricane. That would never change, no matter where she went or how distant she became.

"Good, because it only gets harder from here on out. This is your only second chance, Kaiya. Don't blow it."

_It's taken a lifetime to lose my way_

_A lifetime of yesterdays_

_All the wasted time on my hands turns to sand_

_And fades into the wind_

_Crossing lines, small crimes_

_Taking back what is mine._

**laniDG11: ;) P.S., I've totally been using 'I' for the first letter in your username, and I just now discovered it was a lowercase 'l'. Sorry...lol.**


	8. Broken Frame

**One more time: this story will progress slowly at first. Sasuke won't show up for a few more chapters, but he is coming soon. **

**Thanks for all reviews, favorites, and follows. **

_Tension is building inside steadily_

_Everyone feels so far away from me_

_Heavy thoughts forcing their way out of me_

_Trying not to break, but I'm so tired of this deceit._

"Why did you let her go so easily?" Shizune asked, once she brought Tsunade the sake she asked for. The Hokage stared out the window, watching Kaiya slowly make her way through the village with the cloak in place. She sighed, shaking her head as she turned to her apprentice.

"Sometimes people put up walls; not to keep others out, but to see who cares enough to break them down." Shizune frowned in question.

"I don't understand, M'Lady." Tsunade stared at her glass full of alcohol before downing it all in one quick gulp.

"She's put up a lot of walls since she left. This village is going to tear them down, brick by brick," she explained.

…

It was in the late afternoon, and Kaiya's stomach oh-so-graciously reminded her that she hadn't eaten in almost forty-eight hours. Kuro had her on a strict diet of fruits and vegetables, fish, and protein, but she was ready to break that rule—if at least only once—by heading straight to Ichiraku Ramen. Without hesitation, Kaiya made her way to the booth. If she was stuck in the village like a prisoner, she was going to take advantage of it. She stopped in front of the entrance, fiddling with her fingers nervously, though she wasn't exactly sure why. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the curtain aside and stepped in, where Teuchi and Amaye were hard at work. Both their backs were facing the entrance.

"Make that an order of Shoyu, Old Man," she called. Teuchi turned around at the unfamiliar voice, frowning at the seemingly disrespect the hooded figure gave him. However, when she pulled off the cloak, his eyes widened in amazement.

"No way!" he shouted, a large smile appearing across his face. "Little Kaiya, if it isn't you! I'd heard you disappeared! I figured it was true since I haven't seen you in years." He ushered her in, beckoning her to sit down. Kaiya grinned cheekily at the greeting, though inside the guilt weighed heavily on her heart.

"Well, I'm back now, and I'm ready to eat!" Teuchi nodded, ordering Ayame to make a deluxe Shoyu.

"Where've you been all this time? I didn't know what to do without my two best customers." Kaiya's eyes lowered to the table. She bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes sad and distant.

"Truth is, Old Man, I was out finding myself," she answered solemnly. "I was honestly hoping to keep searching for a while, but I guess plans change." She tried to smile, but she didn't know whether or not it was convincing. Even though Teuchi wasn't a shinobi, he could easily see through her façade. But he had no reason to question her further. Instead, he gave her a knowing nod, turning back to his cooking.

"Well, the important thing is you're back home where you belong—you and Naruto. Speaking of which, where is he? I was sure he'd be accompanying you to your first trip back to Ichiraku."

"I haven't seen him yet, actually. I plan on doing that when I leave here." Kaiya shrugged, unsure of the blonde's whereabouts. "But the next time I come in here, I'll be sure he's with me." Before Teuchi could reply, another customer entered the ramen stand.

"Make mine a Miso, sir." Kaiya's eyes widened at the gruff voice. Teuchi nodded, firing up another pan. Kaiya turned around slowly, jumping out of her seat when she saw who had appeared behind her.

"U-Uncle Asuma?!" She took a few steps back, afraid of what he might do. He loomed over her, his brusque appearance intimidating as he stared down at her with an incomprehensible look. His eyebrows creased.

"Shikamaru told me you were back," Asuma said, taking a step toward her cautiously. She tensed, ready if he decided to lunge at her. "I wasn't going to believe it until I saw it for myself. It's really you…Kaiya." He had a faraway look in his eyes, like he was in a daze. He reached his arm out towards her, and she froze as he cupped her cheek. She tremored in his touch, emotions fighting their way to the surface. She held the tears down, closing her eyes as she looked away.

"Yeah." She nodded curtly, crossing her arms. "I didn't have a choice in the matter. But here I am." Without warning, Asuma leaned over and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her smaller figure to the point it was crushing her. She winced. When he finally let go, she released an unsteady breath, stumbling backwards. She found the courage to glance up at him.

"For the longest time I thought I'd never see you again, kid." She'd never seen such vulnerability in her godfather's eyes. She looked down.

"…" She sighed, closing her eyes to gain her composure. _Everything's hitting me at once. I'm too emotionally unstable. I need to be alone to think._

Kaiya sat down at the booth, and Asuma followed. Neither one of them said anything for a long time. "You know, I wanted to go and hunt you down, but I figured you needed some time away," he told her after a few minutes. "I just didn't think you'd be gone so long." Asuma didn't look at his goddaughter as he spoke; instead, he chose to stare at the kitchen area, where Ayame and Teuchi were minding their own business, tending to the food. "You put us through hell, ya know that?" Kaiya closed her eyes again. She'd already thought enough about it from the time she entered the village, and she really didn't want to think about it anymore. However, she had a feeling things would only get worse as more and more people from her past realized she was home.

She let out a slow breath, staring at the table again. "I know. I'm sorry."

Asuma let Kaiya go without making her explain herself, which she was thankful for. Even he realized that she needed time to adjust to being back in the village before she told anyone anything. Kaiya needed air to breathe away from everyone else, but before that, she knew there was something she had to do first.

Kaiya walked up to Naruto's door, standing before it hesitantly. She never thought she could be so intimidated by an inanimate object. She'd rather have fifty shuriken throw at her than to be there now. Sucking in a deep breath, she lifted her arm, balling her hand into a fist. Finally getting up the nerve, she knocked loudly. Lowering her head, as she couldn't bear to look at him when he answered the door, she made sure the hood of her cloak was up, and waited.

A few short moments later, the door creaked open as a familiar blonde peered through the opening. "Hmm?" Naruto raised an eyebrow in question as he stared at the unacquainted cloaked figure. "Who're you?" he wondered quizzically, stepping outside. Instead of answering, Kaiya lowered her hood slowly, her head lifting, her eyes reflecting regret as they rested on her best friend. Naruto recognized her immediately, his eyes widening slowly. His mouth hung open as he tried to process just what the hell was happening. Kaiya smiled sadly as her verdant eyes met his cerulean pupils.

"You've grown," she noticed gloomily. Naruto's eyes darted from her face to his feet, still trying to digest what he was seeing. "You're taller than me now, just barely." Kaiya lifted her arm to compare their heights. He may have been an inch taller than her. Still, it was an improvement from before, when she was at least an inch or two taller than him.

Needless to say, it was awkward. Aside from Kakashi and Asuma, Naruto was the person she cared about most in the village. She wanted his approval and forgiveness more than she wanted just about anyone else's.

Kaiya let out a deep sigh as she shed the cloak, this time for good. "Look, Naruto," she began, "I know that I walked out on you, and I know you probably hate me. But I want you to know that I'm sorr—" Before Kaiya could apologize, Naruto grabbed her collar and yanked her forward, sneering as he leaned only an inch from her face. His whiskers pricked. She blinked in surprise.

"You asshole!" Naruto shouted, waving a fist in front of his face frantically. "Do you know what you put me through?!" Before Kaiya had a chance to respond or react, Naruto's expression shifted from pissed to relieved. He took her by the shoulders and pulled her against his chest, resting his left cheek against her right as one hand held the back of her head. She stiffened, confused about his affection. Shouldn't he have punched her like Usagi? They stayed like that for a few seconds, and then Kaiya felt something wet sliding down her cheek and dripping onto her neck. Her face softened when she realized it was Naruto's tears. He was crying.

_Naruto…_

"I missed you," he whispered. Kaiya trembled, digging her face into his chest, despite herself. She slowly raised her arms and wrapped them around her best friend.

"I…missed you too, knucklehead."

The two sat and talked awhile. Naruto told her about his training with Jiraiya, and how they had just returned a few days before. He told her about Gaara's rescue, that he was the Kazekage, and that Kakashi had injured himself and was now in the hospital. Kaiya decided that she would visit him next.

By the time Kaiya left Naruto's apartment, it was late evening. She decided to discard of the cloak, as she kept taking it off anyway. She wanted to be alone for a while, tired of all the ruckus she'd created by returning—not that she was given much say in that. And she knew the perfect place to go.

Kaiya arrived at the Uchiha Estate, almost relieved to see that it hadn't changed since she left. She maneuvered through the tape and walked through the ghost town, nostalgia once again hitting her. She remembered the last time she was there, only a few, short days before she left the Leaf. Instead of going through every compound, she went straight to the main household. Inside, she saw the picture frame that she had shattered. She slowly bent down and picked it up, the glass crunching underneath her sandals as she did so.

The memory of when she broke it flashed through her mind, as well as what she was feeling at the time. She clutched at her chest, closing her eyes and letting out slow, steady breaths. _Let it go, _she recited, just like Kuro had taught her. _It's in the past. It's over. Let it go. The pain is gone, the scars have healed. There's no reason to keep holding on to it._ It took a few moments, but finally the pain passed, and she opened her eyes. Once again, she looked at the photo, running her finger cautiously over the dusty, broken frame, careful to avoid the jagged pieces of glass that remained. Her brows furrowed as she studied the main family closely. She hadn't noticed it before, but now it was clear to her: they didn't seem happy. They were distant. It appeared as if they had a dark secret, reflected in the father's eyes and the mother's strained smile. Even Itachi seemed burdened by it.

"Hn. What am I thinking?" She sat the frame on the stand nearest her, then walked back outside. She stopped when she caught a glance of the cement wall just outside the main room of the compound. The Uchiha fan was neatly painted every few feet or so on the wall that stretched all the way around the estate, but the one directly across from where she stood was cracked. She approached it slowly, running her fingers delicately along the crevices, her eyes distant. Letting out a sigh, she turned around and slumped down to the ground, sliding her back along the wall. She brought her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her head on her knees. She stared at the front of Sasuke's home absentmindedly.

_"In order for me to gain more power, I must completely sever our bond. I can't dwell on things like 'us'. None of that matters now—no matter what I felt before."_

_ "Is there a chance that we could ever be together again?"_

_ "Kaiya…I'm not coming back to Konoha. Maybe the day will come when that can happen, but…never again in this village. You, Naruto, and all of the Leaf—you're all part of my past now. I have to let you go."_

She knew now that he didn't mean that. There was no way they would ever be together now. Still, the good memories of the two together always came back to her mind. And they always hurt. That's why she had to fight to let them go. She still hadn't reached that point yet, but she'd promised herself that one day she would.

_"I guess I'm just a coward, because even after everything, I…I can't find the courage to kill you. But things won't always be this way. I won't always be this weak." _

Letting out a deep sigh, she lifted her head. She was done lamenting. She was finished with regrets. She had resolved to leave the old Kaiya behind. That meant her home, her friends, her pain. She turned her back on her past when she left, but it had followed her, and now it was trying to make its way back into her heart. It was like she was trying to drink from a waterfall. It was weighing her down, drowning her. She was determined not to let it drag her down; she would move forward one way or another.

_"Look, you just need to hang on. If I lost you…I'd lose everything. You're the only one alive that I couldn't stand losing more than anything in the world. I wasn't strong enough to protect you, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise to you. I said I had your back, and I let you…"_

_ "I…I don't know if I can have my heart broken a second time, Sasuke. I loved Itachi, and…I love you. Please, don't make me feel that pain again. I'm tired of losing the people I love."_

_ "I…I'd gladly be a prisoner if it meant I would be with you!"_

How foolish she had been. She had such childish ideals. Sasuke never cared about her. He only cared about his revenge.

_"He gave this power to me as a gift. He helped me remember that I am an avenger. Even if I must eat the devil's fruit, I am on a path where I must gain power at any cost, even if it means being consumed by evil."_

He made his choice. And she had made hers. She knew it was only a matter of time before they met again.

_That's right…I'm no longer a coward, Sasuke. And the next time we meet, I'm going to show you just how much I've changed._

"It's easy to think here, isn't it?" Kaiya's eyes widened as she turned to her right, where a masked ANBU stood against the wall with his arms crossed. She frowned, starting to get up, but he stopped her. "Don't bother getting up. I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Why are you here?" she asked guardedly. "I'm still within the confines of the village." He nodded, uncrossing his arms and taking a seat next to her. Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't protest.

"I'm not here because you did something wrong," the officer stated. "I'm here for the same reason you are. I always come here when I need to be alone." Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed in question.

"You do?" He nodded again. "Why here?" Sighing, the man lowered his head, placing a hand on his mask, as if he were going to remove it.

"This place holds a lot of memories for me. Itachi and I were friends when we were younger. In fact, we were teammates. I was also one of the officers that were called to assist after the massacre." Her expression softened, and she once again rested her head on her knees.

"I was close with both Itachi and Sasuke," she admitted, staring down at the ground. The sun was slowly making its descent to the horizon. "But I'm sure you knew that. I came here once before, but it was much more painful then. Now, all I feel is numb. I didn't want to come back to the village because I didn't want to face my feelings for Sasuke—or anyone. The truth is…I'm not sure how I feel anymore. I'm _scared_ to feel." She blinked. "I don't know why I'm telling you. It's not like you care."

The officer was silent for several moments before he leisurely removed his mask. "I do care. A lot, actually." Kaiya's eyes widened. Behind his guise was a smile, but that's not what shocked her.

"R-Ronin-sensei?! The hell!" She jumped to her feet, watching in irritation as the man took his time getting up. His expression was cold and hard now, just like Raiden's had been. His scar made him look dark and spiteful.

"I've been practicing what I would say to you if I ever saw you again," Ronin said, crossing his arms again as he stared at his student frigidly. "But to be honest, I just can't find the words, now that this moment is actually here." Kaiya blinked, her heart thumping against her chest remorselessly. She just couldn't catch a break!

"I…" She'd forgotten to ask Tsunade about her sensei. Now she had nothing to say to him. She looked away. "I planned on coming back someday. Just not anytime soon. I…I couldn't stand living here after what happened." Ronin's penetrating gaze softened slightly.

"You mean Sasuke leaving, don't you?" She nodded curtly, avoiding eye contact.

"Y-Yeah." After a pause, Ronin let out a sigh as he uncrossed his arms. He ran his fingers through his thick, dark hair.

"I'm just glad you're alright. I couldn't imagine what that asshole put you through after taking you away." Kaiya frowned suddenly, remembering what he had told her minutes earlier.

"I know this has nothing to do with the situation, but what you said earlier…you and Itachi were teammates?" she asked. Ronin blinked, nodding.

"We were friends." Ronin's eyes lowered at the memories of the young Uchiha, back when he first arrived at the village and became an official Leaf shinobi.

"That means that both of you were my father's students at the same time."

"He was Yasuo-sensei's favorite," the young man recalled. "Your father would've been more heartbroken than you if he saw the Uchiha Estate like this. Especially knowing that Itachi was the cause of it." He outstretched his arms to the area around them. Kaiya's gaze lowered to the ground, neglecting to reply. Ronin studied her for several moments, taking in her appearance after so long. He grinned sadly. "Come on, kid. Let's go see your trainer." Kaiya looked up suddenly, blinking in question.

"What?" Ronin shook his head, clenching his fists at the thought of seeing Kuro again after what he did.

"As much as I hate that bastard, I imagine the two of you grew close these past few years," he said. "Lady Tsunade ordered me to take you to him before the end of the day. I know you want to see him." Kaiya nodded, following him quietly as they exited the Uchiha property. Kaiya stopped, turning around to look back at the ghost estate with an obscure countenance. Ronin's eyebrows creased as he halted his steps. "Something wrong?" Kaiya sighed, clenching her fists.

"I wonder what's wrong with me," she remarked, making Ronin frown and cross his arms. She had her back to him, so he couldn't see her expression. "For both of them to do the same thing to me." Her voice was somber. Ronin's confused mien lifted in realization. He sighed, lowering his head as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Nothing's wrong with you, kid," he assured her sternly, resting a hand on her shoulder. She glanced back at him, her eyes questioning him. "Itachi and Sasuke were cursed with a fate they can't escape—at least not easily. You just happened to be thrown into the middle of it."

Kaiya closed her eyes, her stoic face reappearing. She looked up as Ronin removed his hand and started walking again; she followed.

_If that's the case, then there's only one way they can be free from that fate…_ Kaiya thought.

_Death._

_This is where I draw the line_

_This is where the old me dies_

_Light a match, let it burn, kiss it goodbye_

_Giving up what I was_

_This is where I draw the line._


	9. Acceptance

**Hey there. Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews, as always. We are slowly making progress. bluefrost15: Guess you don't have to wonder anymore ;) **

_And there's just one last thing that I have to say_

_As we reflect on the mess of all this that I've made_

_It was cowardice that made me push you away_

_I was so afraid._

"Kuro Kensei!" The large guard's deep voice echoed throughout the prison, jerking the young man from his slumber. He jolted, previously slumped up against the cold, damp cell wall, frowning as he stood to his feet and straightened up.

"What is it?" he mumbled irritably. "Can't you see I was taking a nap? So uncourteous." The guard rolled his eyes as he approached the bars of the missing-nin's chamber.

"You have a visitor. Behave yourself." Kuro sighed, leaning against the bars with his arms crossed.

"Well, are you going to keep us waiting or what?" He heard the guard's mundane moan, smirking in satisfaction as he disappeared, replaced by Kaiya and a masked ANBU. "Ah, if it isn't my favorite student." Kaiya frowned.

"I'm your only student," she pointed out. Kuro nodded.

"And you should be grateful. I almost gave up on you a few times." She crossed her arms irately, shaking her head as she looked back at the masked guard in question.

"You have five minutes," Ronin stated. "That's all I can give you. I'll be right outside… And remember Lady Tsunade's warning." Kaiya nodded, and when Ronin was gone, she approached Kuro's cell.

"What the hell, Kuro-sensei?!" she shouted, furiously rattling the bars. Kuro was fairly certain she wanted to lunge for his neck, but his cage was in the way—much to his relief. Despite learning to control most of her emotions, she had developed a nasty temper over the years. He took a step back, just in case she decided to destroy the cell to get to him. "You bastard! How the hell could you get captured after all the time you spent hiding from everyone?!" Kuro's brows furrowed.

"Excuse me, you little brat," he snapped, grabbing her head through the bars. "It's because of _you_." Kaiya blinked, confused, as his hand gripped the top of her head tightly. "If I didn't have to worry about you, I could have easily escaped. We separated after entering the Cloud, but they sent highly skilled individuals with kekkei genkai to apprehend me. I was under the impression that they would be looking for both of us together, rather than separately; I had no idea they were sending another team after you at the same time, although I should have figured as much with how persistent your village is. I thought I was giving you a chance to escape." Kaiya lowered her head.

"I did, thanks to Yoshi and Haru," she admitted. Kuro lifted an eyebrow. "The ANBU captured me, but the twins saved me and let me stay with them for a couple of days. It wasn't until I was almost to the Hidden Rain that I was tricked and captured by some of my friends." She pouted, looking away. Kuro chuckled, retracting his hand.

"Some friends you have." She rolled her eyes. "So, what exactly did Lady Tsunade tell you? I'm guessing she's making you stay in the village somehow." Kaiya nodded.

"Yeah. She says if I run I'll be hunted down as an official rogue. She's making me join Team Kakashi because Kioko and Usagi are away from the village training. I have a mission in a couple of days." Kuro paced around in his cell, a troubled look on his face. "What is it, Kuro-sensei?"

"When I was first captured, that crazy Hokage visited me," he told her. "She said that Team Kakashi and a few others rescued the Kazekage from Akatsuki several days ago, and that there was another mission to Tenchi Bridge soon. She wanted you to be a part of it, something about being the final member of Kakashi's team. I told her she was nuts, and I was positive that she would never catch you. Thanks for making me look like an idiot, by the way." Kaiya sneered, crossing her arms.

"Shut up! What's your point?" she growled. Kuro sighed.

"She also told me that if you ran this time, there would be consequences. My point is, I know you don't want to stay, but considering what will happen if you don't…"

"But, Kuro-sensei, we can run again and hide better this time, if—" Kuro snarled as he grabbed Kaiya's collar through the bars and pulled her as close to him as he could. The sudden movement surprised her; she winced as the cold metal slammed against her face abruptly. She looked at him through wide eyes as he glared at her sternly.

"Don't 'but' me, you little brat," he ordered. She nodded, beads of sweat dripping down her brow. "Do you remember what I told you after we left?" She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking back to that night.

_Kaiya and Kuro raced through the forest that connected the Leaf to the Land of Hot Water, right next to the Land of Rice Patties. She thought about going off to search for Sasuke, but she knew that was impossible. She had no idea where to look, other than where Ryoichi and her siblings had taken her before, but even then finding Orochimaru's lair was a longshot. Not to mention that she couldn't hope to ever defeat him as she was now. Besides, they most likely weren't going in that direction. _

_ "Where are we going, exactly?" she asked. Kuro frowned, lowering his head in thought._

_ "For now, we'll take refuge in Taki," he answered. "I doubt they'd ever think to look there, at least not at first. After a week or two, we'll move on to the Land of Earth, then to the Land of Wood. We'll keep moving around the Land of Fire until we've made a full circle. By then, your training should be completed. After that, if you desire, you can return to the Leaf. You might be homesick at that point." A somber expression appeared on her face._

_ "…" She sighed, lowering her eyes to the path in front of them. "How long will my training take?" Kuro crossed his arms in thought._

_ "Approximately three or four years," he replied. "It wouldn't take so long if we didn't have to keep moving, but as you can guess, the Leaf isn't just going to let us go." She nodded. "But if you ever desire to return beforehand, I won't tell you not to." _

Kaiya opened her eyes, letting out a small breath through her nostrils. "You said that I could come back if I wanted," she remembered. He nodded. "But I was forced to come back. And my training is nowhere near completion. And you just want me to give up?" Kuro chuckled, shaking his head.

"No, my dear student. As a matter of fact, I'm telling you not to give up." She frowned in question. "You see, I know you want to be here with your friends, protecting your village; but I also know that you want to continue training. And in order to do that, you must sever your bonds with your past, because you care for this place so much that those feelings would just get in the way. But it's hard now that you can't leave." She lowered her head in shame.

"Ever since I came back here, I could feel them…I can feel the heartache, the joy, the nostalgia, the guilt. It's distracting." Kuro nodded.

"I know. That's why I wanted to take you away from here in the first place." He paused, sighing as he stared at the cement floor beneath him. His earth-style was useless in there. Well, not completely useless. "Anyway, your training will continue, but I can no longer train you—not as long as I'm on the run and you're stuck in this sorry excuse for a village." Kaiya's eyes widened.

"On the run?" she repeated skeptically. "But I thought they were still debating whether to have you executed or kept in here for life." Kuro scoffed, looking insulted at his student's comment.

"Please! As if they could keep someone like me a prisoner unless I wanted them to," he declared. "How do they think I remained hidden for fifteen years?" Kaiya blinked in realization, lowering her gaze as she pointed to her sensei. She glanced around to make sure no one else was around, then lowered her voice, just in case.

"You…you're going to escape, aren't you?" Kuro smirked as he leaned in closer to her. Their breaths mingled as their faces were only inches away, kept separated by the bars of his prison cell.

"Very good, my student," he whispered. "While you're on your mission, I'm going to break out of here and once again be free to do whatever the hell I want. The problem is, I won't be able to maintain contact with you face-to-face, which means that we won't be able to keep training together. However, I do have someone in mind that I would like you to meet. But that will have to wait until you've once again regained the Hokage's trust. In the meantime, we can send messages through our wolves." Kaiya nodded, and then she frowned.

"You were captured on purpose, weren't you?" she guessed. "You were waiting for me. You could have easily avoided being arrested. And by what you've said, you could have escaped at any time." Kuro grabbed her head again, ruffling her hair, even though it was difficult because of her tight braid.

"Well, if I didn't wait here until I knew they'd captured you, they would have still reached you before me, and you would've had to come back anyway. At least this way I know you're safe." He paused, his eyes lowering as he studied her quietly for a few moments. "You belong here, Kaiya," he told her somberly, "whether you'd like to admit that or not. I, on the other hand, don't belong anywhere. Remember what I taught you, but don't ostracize yourself from the others. Distance your emotions, not yourself. Protect this village with your life, even though you don't want to be here at the moment. Understand?" She nodded stiffly. "Good. I promised that I would bring out your full potential, and I fully intend to do that. It's just going to be more difficult from here on out. But I know you're capable of getting through it." Her eyes narrowed.

"What happens if I see Orochimaru and I'm not ready?" Kuro's eyebrows creased slowly.

"Don't fight him. Not yet," he warned. "You still have a lot to learn before you confront him. If you should ever meet, use Jin without hesitation. It's the only thing that will keep you alive." He took his hand off of her head resentfully. "Good luck." Before she could reply, Ronin's footsteps echoed through the chamber of the small cell.

"Time's up, Kaiya." Ronin stood with his arms crossed. His mask was gone, and he was staring at Kuro with a glare that could pierce through his soul. He chuckled to himself as he nodded to Kaiya. She returned the gesture and let Ronin escort her out of the room.

"Oh, I almost forgot." At his call, Kaiya halted her steps, and Ronin resentfully did the same. She looked back. "Have you made up your mind yet, Kaiya?" She blinked, staring at the floor for a few moments before returning her gaze to her master.

"I have," she decided. "I'm…I'm going to do it." Kuro's dark smirk put Ronin on high alert, and he ushered his former student out the door quickly, before anything else could be said between the two.

"Excellent."

"What the hell was that about?" Ronin questioned, crossing his arms expectantly. He glared at Kaiya, frustrated by her apathetic countenance. "Are you planning another escape?" Kaiya's brows furrowed.

"You should calm down, Ronin-sensei," she suggested. "It's not good for your health to stress out so much." He gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to grab her and force her to tell him. "Weren't you the one who told me to remember what Lady Tsunade said? Relax. Kuro-sensei told me not to run away again, so I guess I'm stuck here. He was referring to a deal we made a long time ago. It has nothing to do with me escaping, or him in general." Ronin slowly loosened his muscles. He flexed his shoulders a few times, letting out slow breaths as he gained his composure.

"Fine. But I hope you don't think your master is getting off easy. They probably won't execute him, since he didn't commit any real crime. You left willingly, which meant that he didn't kidnap you. But he still broke the law." Kaiya rolled her eyes as she continued to walk towards an unknown location.

"You don't have to lecture me, Sensei. I'm not a child anymore." Ronin frowned at her attitude. He watched her carry on.

"Where are you going?"

"To see Kakashi," Kaiya called, not bothering to look behind her. The day had almost ended, and truthfully Kaiya was happy to know that another day had passed. She was hoping to be put on as many missions as possible so that she wouldn't have to stay in the village often. She had a feeling it would only get worse from there.

Ronin didn't follow her. He knew her, even though she seemed to have changed. Kakashi was more important to Kaiya than almost anyone, and he knew that she wouldn't lie about seeing him. He stopped walking and watched her until she disappeared. Letting out a sigh, he rubbed his neck frustratingly.

"This is going to be more difficult than I thought."

Kaiya walked into the hospital that she was all too familiar with: the bright halls, the sterile smell, the plain, white walls. There were a few nurses around, but they seemed too busy to notice her, which she was thankful for. She asked for Kakashi's room number, and to her surprise, she was allowed to see him without any trouble. She stepped in to his room quietly, since the lights were off. As she suspected, the silver-haired Jonin was sleeping soundly in his bed. She smiled, approaching him slowly. She had no trouble seeing in the dark, thanks to her training, so the darkness didn't faze her as she sat on the edge of his bed and stared down at Kakashi.

Kaiya's facial muscles relaxed. No matter how hard she tried to wear a mask in front of Kakashi, he always saw through her. To think that she said those things to him all those years ago… She only hoped he could look her in the eye again.

_"If you had taken care of that damn curse mark like you promised, Sasuke would still be here. You're a liar, just like _them_." _

"I didn't mean those things I said to you," she told him quietly, stroking his silver locks gently. "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, Kakashi." She didn't want to wake him, so she just stared at him for about an hour before she remembered she was dog-tired. Against her will, she succumbed to exhaustion and closed her eyes. She fell over onto Kakashi's torso, a light snore escaping through her nostrils.

The next morning, Kakashi's eye opened to the chirping of the birds outside his window. As soon as he was fully conscious, he felt slight pressure on his chest. He lifted his head the best he could, though it hurt, and found that a girl was sleeping with most of her bodyweight on top of him. His open eye widened as he reached to push her off of him, whoever the hell she was. Just as his hand neared her, he stopped. Her bangs were long, covering pretty much her entire face, and he was sure he didn't recognize her clothes or body type. She seemed young, about Naruto's age, but he knew about every member of Naruto's class, and she was definitely not a part of it.

But that's what was so strange.

Even though he didn't immediately recognize her, Kakashi knew there was something familiar about this girl. He just couldn't put his finger on it. Instead of waking her up or removing her from her position, he gently lifted the strands of hair covering her face. He stifled a gasp when he saw that his suspicions had been correct—he did know her.

"I-impossible," he murmured. His hand shook, and he retracted it quickly, allowing her bangs to fall back in place over her eyes. He must have been dreaming. She shifted slightly, stirring as she stretched her arm over his torso. Kakashi was able to see the well-worked muscles of her arms as she did so. There were a few light scars on her shoulders, but other than that her skin was smooth and cold. She'd changed well enough, but she was still Kaiya. That was something Kakashi was sure of.

_After all this time, could it really be her?_

Kakashi laid there for a few minutes watching her sleep. The second time she stirred, she pushed herself off from her comfortable position and turned to Kakashi sleepily, who was staring back at her with his single black pupil. Kaiya expressed shock at first, but then a small smile graced her lips.

"Long time no see, Copycat," she greeted hesitantly. She stretched, rubbing the cricks out of her neck. After straightening out her bangs, she turned back to him as he struggled to sit up.

"It's…it's you," he mumbled, still in shock. Kaiya turned to the floor as her smile disappeared.

"Yeah. I'm back." There was a pregnant silence that felt like it lasted for hours, days—but it had only been a few seconds.

"When…how…w-why?" Kakashi had never been so flustered, but he just couldn't seem to grasp the fact that Kaiya was there. He'd dreamt of this moment for a while now, but to see that it was actually happening was just too unbelievable.

Letting out a sigh, Kaiya figured that she would have to explain things at least one hundred times before it satisfied everyone.

"Some of my classmates tricked me into coming home, and now Lady Tsunade says that I have to stay," she explained bitterly. "I've only been here since yesterday. I didn't want to come back, but I had no choice." She looked away as Kakashi's eye lowered.

"I see. So you didn't come back on your own." She shook her head.

"No. I…I still had a lot I needed to do before I came home." In truth, she wasn't thinking about coming back until she'd killed Orochimaru. No telling how long that could take. "I'm surprised you're willing to speak to me after what I told you. After what I did." Kakashi furrowed his brows. That memory had been stuck at the back of both their minds ever since she left.

Kakashi let out a deep sigh, scratching the side of his head before staring at the sheets in front of him.

"I was upset back then, but…that was a long time ago." Kaiya stared at her palms sadly.

"I didn't mean any of it, you know," she told him. "I wasn't mature enough to blame the person responsible for what happened: me. But things are different now. I'm sorry, Kakashi. I'm willing to do whatever it takes for you to forgive me." The silver-haired Jonin studied her for several moments, his stern, dark eye tracing her carefully.

_She's matured._

Kaiya turned to look at Kakashi for his answer. He almost laughed when he caught sight of her look of desperation. Sighing, he leaned back against his pillow. He still wasn't able to move very well.

"The way I see it, there's no need to ask for forgiveness," he decided. Kaiya's eyes widened slightly.

"But…how can you just—"

"The answer is simple, really," he cut her off. "It's because I'm not angry." At his reply, Kaiya jumped to her feet, outstretching her arms in belief.

"How can you not be angry?! After what I did to you and everyone else, I…I figured you'd all hate me." Kakashi closed his eye slowly.

"None of us hate you, Kaiya," he assured her. "We were all disappointed when you left, and maybe some were hurt, but…we've all been waiting for you to return." Kaiya held her breath. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. She'd given up crying a long time ago. "I was worried about you. We all were. No matter how far you go, you're still a part of this village. You always will be."

Kaiya relaxed and repositioned herself on Kakashi's mattress. After gaining her composure, the two talked for hours. Around lunchtime, a nurse walked in to serve Kakashi's lunch. Kaiya's eyes widened when she saw that it was Sakura. Standing to her feet, she shouted, "Sakura? You're a medical ninja?"

The latter paused, dropping the tray with steaming broth at her feet. She didn't seem to notice as it splattered everywhere. Her jaw hung open as she froze in her spot.

"K-Kaiya?!" She ran up to the brunette, surveying her from all angles to make sure it was really her and not some trick. "You're…but…" The pink-haired kunoichi couldn't wrap her mind around it—just like Naruto and Kakashi. Kaiya grinned, placing her hands on her hips as her trainer often did.

"It's me alright." Kaiya and Sakura spoke for a few minutes before Kakashi mentioned that he desperately needed some food. Sakura ran off to get him a new plate, even though he complained that he wanted real food instead. Kaiya managed a laugh, cleaning up the mess that was lying in front of her.

"How about when you get out we go for sushi?" she suggested. "My treat." Kakashi agreed, and she left to see the rest of the village.

Kaiya couldn't help but feel relieved as her heart began to relax inside her ribcage. She had been so on edge since returning that she was afraid she'd have a heart attack at some point. But after speaking with Kakashi, relief flooded through her bones like a tidal wave, giving her an emotional release that she hadn't had since she left.

As Kiba was taking Akamaru on their afternoon walk, the dog sniffed the air, suddenly running off in the opposite direction. Confused, Kiba followed him, only to find him atop a young girl, licking her face repeatedly. His tail wagged happily as she laughed.

"Akamaru, is that you?" she giggled. "You're huge!" Kiba's eyes widened as he recognized the scent of the person Akamaru had tackled.

"Kaiya?!" He ran over to her, kneeling on the ground to see that it was her—covered in dog saliva. He blushed and smiled, helping her to her feet. He even wiped her face for her. She looked at her comrade, surprised at how much he'd changed. He was taller, more muscular, and handsome. He used to wear a large coat and hood all the time, but he discarded the tan coat and instead wore a black, close-fitted jacket. His fangs had also grown noticeably larger.

"I can't believe it's you," he said, pretty much like everyone else. "I thought my nose was imagining things, but it looks like it was right after all." He gave her a smug smile, holding onto her hand loosely. "Why are you here? I mean, not that I'm not happy to see you or anything. It's just…" Kiba rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. Kaiya smiled as she wrapped her arms around his torso. He seemed shocked by the gesture, but quickly got over his surprise, draping his arms around her shoulders. She could feel his heartbeat with her ear against his chest, and for whatever reason, it comforted her. He didn't have to say anything, because by his reaction, she knew he wasn't angry.

"I missed you, Kiba. All of you." He smiled against her hair. _I missed you too…more than you'll ever know._ The touching moment ended when Akamaru decided he wanted to join in on the hug and tackled the two to the ground. Kiba landed on top of Kaiya, their bodies mushed together underneath Akamaru's weight.

_And now I want to do everything for you that I can_

_Even though it won't erase the foolish things that I've done_

_Things that blinded me _

_But now I see._


	10. Secrets Don't Make Friends

**Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites. Part of the reason I am slow at updating, for those of you that want to know, is because I'm still constructing the story. I've changed it a few times recently; I just can't seem to make up my mind. There are some complications that I guess come with the fact I have so many OCs...so yeah. Plus I have been soooo busy. As a huge procrastinator, I'm literally dying from all of my responsibilities. Princesa de la Luna: Umm...the only manga that I've read is Naruto. And the only anime I watch now are Naruto and Bleach, and I used to watch Yu-Gi-Oh! (the oldest one). Several others have been recommended, but I haven't had/made the time to watch anything else. I have heard of Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon; I vaguely remember watching a few episodes as a kid but that was so long ago that I don't know anything about them. I've heard of Vampire Knight and Code Gease but I know nothing about them either. And I have no idea what Blood Plus or Get Backers is :3. **

_What do you think you'd ever say_

_I won't listen anyway_

_You don't know me_

_And I'll never be what you want me to be._

Kaiya's head was buried in Kiba's chest, while his face was planted firmly in the dirt. It was almost comical when Kiba jumped up, pushing Akamaru off of him. He sat up, spitting out dirt for the next two minutes. He gagged, shooting his partner an annoyed glance before turning to Kaiya.

"Are you alright?" he asked her. She smiled, brushing dirt out of her hair. Nodding, she laughed.

"I'm fine, Kiba. You're the one who had your face smashed into the ground." She reached out and wiped the dirt from his hair. He blushed, averting his eyes to Akamaru, who acted like nothing happened, wagging his tail. Kiba frowned, pouting at the canine before glancing back up at Kaiya. She lowered her gaze. "To answer your question earlier, I suppose that despite what I wanted, it was time for me to come home," she answered solemnly. Kiba could see the evident pain and anger on her face, so he didn't push the question, even though he wanted to.

"Well, I'm glad you did, no matter what the reason." Kiba pulled Kaiya into another hug, which was a little awkward in their sitting positions. Nevertheless, she hugged him back. It surprised Kaiya, because she'd never seen Kiba as affectionate with anyone other than Akamaru. They were good friends, but they weren't as close as her and Shikamaru. Still, she missed him just as much.

When Kaiya and Kiba finally managed to get back on their feet, Kaiya continued on her way, and Kiba and Akamaru finished their walk. He glanced behind him, smiling to himself as he watched her walk away.

The next person Kaiya ran into was Shino. "I'd heard through the grapevine that you'd returned," Shino mentioned in his creepy voice. Kaiya resisted the urge to shudder—after not hearing it for so long, she'd almost forgotten how much it petrified her. "That's because my insects spotted you earlier and reported back to me." A sweat drop slid behind her head. _So now he apparently gossips with his insects…how nice._

"Shino…I wasn't thinking I'd run into you anytime soon." Kaiya wanted to ask him why the hell his face was covered almost completely, but she decided against it. She figured it was better not to ask, and she didn't want to be hung up in a conversation with him longer than necessary, as he would explain to her every detail that she didn't actually need or want to know.

"You recognized me right away, Kaiya, as I recognized you immediately as well," he pointed out. "It appears that you are more of a friend than Naruto. That's because he has the inability to recognize certain comrades' faces." Another sweat drop slid down the back of her head.

Kaiya didn't stay and converse with Shino very long.

When she finally managed to move along, she met Hinata, who almost fainted at the sight of her. "N-no way…" Kaiya caught her and leaned her up against a tree, another sweat drop sliding down her head. "I can't believe it." Kaiya pouted.

"Apparently no one can," she retorted. Hinata grinned.

"I'm sure Naruto is happy to see you." Kaiya nodded, a small smile crossing her face, only for a moment. Hinata had been in love with Naruto for who-knows-how-long. She'd noticed her crush on him in their Academy days, but she figured her blonde friend was too much of a clueless idiot to realize it; not to mention he was always drooling over Sakura (for what reason she will never understand). But to her surprise, Hinata had grown into a beautiful teenager. Maybe Naruto would notice her now.

Not likely.

After catching up with Hinata, Kaiya walked on to get lunch at the nearest sushi bar. Afterwards, she decided that she would visit the cemetery. With her hands in her pockets, she walked to the Hokage Sculpture. She closed her eyes and let the breeze blow her braid around as the leaves danced, weaving their way through the tombstones that littered the green field. After a minute or two, she opened her eyes as stared at the large flame crafted on top of the monument with a somber countenance. She let out a deep sigh as she lowered her eyes to the words engraved on the front: 'Will of Fire.' Then she scanned the burial ground to make sure no one else was around.

"Hey, Gramps…it's been a while since I visited your grave." She let out another shaky breath before continuing. "It's been a rough time since you left, ya know? I'm still a little pissed that you went so soon. You didn't even tell me that Kioko and Usagi were hosts like me, or that my siblings were still alive. And then Sasuke defected from the village, and I…I felt so alone." She sniffled, but her eyes were dry. "I ran away, and I've been on the run for almost three years, training with Kuro-sensei. I wonder if you knew something like this would happen when you assigned him to be my trainer.

"Anyway, I was forced to come back here, and there are so many reasons why I didn't want to. One of those reasons was because I didn't know how to face all the people I let down. I'm not sorry I left, but I'm sorry that I let everyone down. I've seen some of them the past couple of days, and even though they act like they forgive me, I know they're bitter deep inside. Once the shock of me returning wears off, they'll probably express their anger towards me, and I'm more than willing to bear that burden." Kaiya ran her fingers along the stone of the sculpture, bowing her head in remorse. "I need someone to talk to, someone who won't judge me. I know that if you were really here, you'd listen, and you'd know the right thing to say.

"The truth is, I'm lost, Old Man," she confessed. "I've been fighting with myself for so long, I don't even know who I am anymore. The only way I can keep my head screwed on is if I completely ignore the fact that I'm torn between light and darkness. I'm so confused. I have a secret that only Kuro-sensei knows. It's about Sasuke." She scanned the area once more to double check for any passersby. "I used to be in love with him, back before he joined Orochimaru. I couldn't kill him when I had the chance, and I let him go when I should have done all I could to stop him. I was too afraid; I let my feelings get in the way. That's why I left. You always told me that a shinobi needed to keep their emotions out of the way, but I didn't understand what you meant until after that moment.

"My secret is…I'm going to kill Sasuke. I've already made up my mind." Kaiya's voice strengthened, and confidence flooded through it. "I don't care about him anymore. He means nothing to me now. He made his choice, and now I've made mine. And after I kill Sasuke, I'll be going after Itachi. Things would be better if they were dead. The only regret I have is the pain Naruto will feel when that day comes."

Kaiya let out a sigh, relieved to finally have all of that off her chest. The only person who knew about her ambitions were Kuro, mostly because he's the one who planted the idea in her head. She had been thinking about killing Sasuke for a while after he left, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to do it, just like the first time. But Kuro expressed that he and his brother were cancerous to the shinobi world, and she and everyone else would be safer if they were gone. She didn't believe him at first, but after learning to control most of her emotions, she realized that duty came before her feelings. She also realized that she didn't love the Uchiha brothers. Not anymore.

She walked away from the sculpture to her father's grave next. She hadn't visited since she was twelve, right before she became a Genin. "Hey, Dad," Kaiya said, a small smile appearing on her face. She squatted in front of the tombstone, staring at the block letters before her: 'Here lies Yasuo Umachi, Hurricane of the Land of Fire, Beloved Husband, Father, and Shinobi'. "I was feeling nostalgic, so I decided to visit you and the Old Man. I don't feel like repeating myself, so I'll save the past three-and-a-half years for some other time. I just felt like sitting next to you for a while. I hope that's ok." Kaiya glanced away, averting her eyes to another grave to the left. After a pause, she sighed. Finally, she closed her eyes, letting the breeze overtake her.

She stayed like that for several minutes, until she sensed a presence behind her. "I haven't seen you here in a while." She opened her eyes, lowering them as she looked behind her.

"I figured I should, since I was in the neighborhood." She slowly stood to her feet, keeping her back to the voice. She heard a scoff.

"You're as cynical as ever, Kaiya. I didn't think you could get any more troublesome than you were before, but apparently I was wrong." Kaiya smirked humorlessly as she turned around to face Shikamaru. The latter had his hands in his pockets, his face set in a serious manner: his eyebrows were furrowed slightly, and a small frown was set on his lips. It was his usual expression when he had something on his mind.

"You don't come around here either," she noted, crossing her arms casually. "Were you just following me to make sure I don't try to escape? Gonna pull a fast one on me with your Shadow Possession again?" She lifted an eyebrow expectantly. Rolling his eyes, Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck and let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Come on, Kaiya. We both know I wouldn't waste my energy doing that unless I had to. There's no reason for me to tail you around. I know you won't leave."

"Because the Hokage threatened me," she pointed out bitterly. Shikamaru's eyes narrowed.

"You can't keep running away. Wherever you go, your problems will follow you. Don't try to add on to them; face them and move on already. We all just wanted you home, where you belong." Kaiya frowned, looking away so that he wouldn't see the guilt in her eyes.

"Since when did you start sounding ambitious?" she snapped. "And since when do you know where I belong?" Shikamaru grinned.

"Look, I thought we could talk for a while. I'd like to hear about the last couple of years." Skeptical, Kaiya studied him closely for several seconds. She chuckled gravely.

"Give me a break, Shikamaru. You just want to know what everyone else does: why I left and why I didn't want to come back. That's the only reason anyone's even talking to me." She turned away, trying to gain her composure. _Stupid Shikamaru…why does he have to be like everyone else? Why can't he just leave me alone?_ After a few moments, she looked back. His eyebrows had sunken farther down, the lines of his forehead protruding with the motion. He was gritting his teeth.

"What the hell do you expect? You left out of the blue." He threw up his hands. "You've been gone for almost three years. There was a time we all thought you went off with Sasuke or somethin', or you were kidnapped again; we had no way of knowing if you were alive or dead. If you were only training all this time, why couldn't you have at least said goodbye? Or wrote to us? I don't understand, Kaiya. None of us do." Kaiya blinked. It was the first time she'd heard Shikamaru's voice with so much emotion. He sounded shaken up. It was obvious to her that she'd put all of her friends into a state of panic, betrayal, and helplessness. She bowed her head ashamedly.

"…" She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to apologize. She wasn't sorry for leaving, and she was tired of pretending she was. She hated that she made them all feel that way, but she couldn't help that none of them understood her. They didn't know the burden they put on her shoulders. "I knew that if I said goodbye, I wouldn't be able to leave," she admitted sternly. Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. "I care about this village and the people in it, especially you guys. But I had to leave, and I had to do it without telling anyone. I wasn't running away from my problems when I left. I was trying to find a solution to them. I was weak and scared, Shikamaru; I was a coward. But I'm not anymore. And I refuse to let this place drag me back into the same state I was in when I left."

Shikamaru said nothing as Kaiya walked away. He wasn't able to determine the expression on her face, and vice versa. They all just needed time to accept that she was back in the village for good.

After training for hours, both to take her mind off of everything for a while and to keep up with her workout regime, Kaiya went back to the hospital, where she stayed in Kakashi's room for the night. She curled up next to him on his bed, nestling against his bare arm like she used to as a child. He was already asleep, so she didn't bother to wake him. When she woke up the next morning, Jiraiya was sitting in the window sill, his arms crossed casually. He was staring out at the late morning, something incoherent obviously on his mind. When he noticed her, he showed her a small grin.

"Well, if it isn't the little brat who almost got herself killed by the Akatsuki," he greeted. "You've grown up." Kaiya rolled her eyes, stretching as she stood to her feet, careful not to disturb Kakashi's slumber.

"And if it isn't the old pervert who writes the disgusting literature Kakashi reads," she retorted irritably. "I didn't think you could look any older, but I've been wrong before." He paled, a dark blush appearing on his cheeks. He snarled, jumping to his feet to point down at her heatedly.

"Hey! It's not _disgusting_! It's _romantic_! As if a kid would understand the complexities of love. And I'm not _old_. I've just managed to stay alive longer than most shinobi. So shut your mouth!" He muttered under his breath, something about being as annoying as Naruto, and crossed his arms again as he looked away. She scoffed, shaking her head.

"Right. We'll go with that."

…

"You!" Naruto pointed to Sasuke's replacement as the new Team Kakashi gathered for the first time. Kaiya's eyes lowered as the boy smiled cheekily, totally disregarding the blonde's anger. She noticed that the smile plastered on his face was fake, which immediately set her on edge.

"So you guys know each other?" she asked Naruto. The latter scoffed.

"Hell no!"

"Sorry about before," the boy apologized. "I was just testing out my new teammate's skills. I wasn't expecting you to be so weak, though." Naruto was livid.

"Huh?! Just who the hell do you think you are, you bastard?!" Sakura held him back as he lunged for the new member, telling him to calm down. Kaiya wondered where this boy had come from; she didn't recognize him at all from her previous time in the Leaf, and by the looks of things, neither did Sakura. He and Naruto seemed to have bad blood between them, but it sounded like they had met only once before, and not under the best of circumstances. Tsunade did say that he was one of Danzo's men, whoever the hell that was. All in all, Kaiya was confused, but she didn't care at the moment. She just wanted to get on the road.

After Naruto, Sakura, and Sai got into another dispute, this time the bastard making Sakura angry, Kaiya was about to step in-between them, but their new leader beat her to it. "Will you guys stop it?" She studied him closely, having never seen him before either. He had short, brown hair, reminding her of Kisho's. He had large, black pupils that made her uncomfortable, and he wore a metal plate on his head covering the sides of his face; it was similar to the one she'd seen the Second Hokage wear in photos. He looked pretty plain to her. _But who is he?_

"Naruto, Sakura, please." At Kaiya's request, the two reluctantly separated from the new guy. She crossed her arms as the man continued.

"Since the five of us are going to be a team, let's introduce ourselves," he suggested. "Otherwise, I'll have to throw all of you in a cage until you get along." Naruto pouted.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"I'm Sakura Haruno."

"Kaiya Umachi."

"My name is Sai." He smiled far too big for Kaiya's liking. She frowned. _Something's off about this guy. He acts like he doesn't know when to smile. He doesn't seem the least bit worried about Naruto and Sakura wanting to knock him into next week. Cocky bastard._

"Ok, good. Now let me explain our mission." Kaiya clenched her fists. She'd only been told part of it, but she had a feeling there was something Tsunade wasn't telling her. "The five of us will be going to Tenchi Bridge," he explained. "From there we'll capture the Akatsuki spy working for Orochimaru and bring him back here." Her fists tightened; her knuckles began turning white. "With this source we can gather important information, hopefully leading to the assassination of Orochimaru. We'll also formulate a plan to bring Sasuke Uchiha back. Meet at the gate in one hour."

Kaiya's eyes widened.

_Is this guy serious?!_

Kaiya didn't have anything but the clothes on her back and the backpack on her shoulder, so she was set to go. She decided to visit the Hokage, even though she didn't feel like it.

"Lady Tsunade, may I come in?" Tsunade nodded, gesturing her inside her office. Kaiya closed the door and approached the desk, a troubled expression on her face.

"You sound polite for someone who feels like she's a prisoner," the Fifth mused. Kaiya scoffed, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Don't push my patience, _Hokage_," she snapped. "I'm one inch away from ransacking everything in sight." Tsunade chortled, asking her what she needed. "It's about Sai. Is he in the ANBU or something? He doesn't seem like a normal shinobi. And then there's him and Naruto, who don't exactly get along…" Tsunade sighed, shaking her head as she rested her elbows on her desk.

"You're very perceptive, I see. Yes, Sai is from a group called the Foundation, or Root. A man named Danzo Shimura is the leader of the secret organization. I said something about this to you before, but I didn't give you many details, and purposely so. The Foundation is shrouded in mystery, but you can bet that old geezer Danzo is up to no good. He probably wants to keep an eye on Naruto, since he's the village Jinchuriki. I'm glad you stopped by, because I wanted to ask you to keep an eye out for him and make sure he doesn't do anything out of protocol." Kaiya nodded, clenching her fists. She wanted to ask her about Orochimaru and Sasuke, but she decided it probably was for the best that she didn't.

"Of course."

"And as far as Naruto and Sai, you and Sakura just try to keep them in line." Before Kaiya could respond, there was a knock at the door. "Come in."

An older man with half his face bandaged, leaving his left eye exposed, walked in, hobbling with a cane. He closed the door, his eye lowering at the sight of Kaiya. _Who the hell is this guy? Could this be—_

"What do you want, Danzo?" Tsunade questioned. Kaiya frowned.

"It appears you're letting this rogue join Team Kakashi," he speculated, making Kaiya snarl. "I would hope that you put an elite shinobi in charge of this mission, Princess Tsunade. Just in case she decides to do something irrational." The Fifth glared.

"Yes, I did," she answered. "Part of Kaiya's punishment is aiding Team Kakashi as Naruto's guard. I can assure you that she knows her boundaries and will abide by them. I also assigned the one who stood out the most to be the captain."

"Are you sure you're doing the right thing? She could—"

"Wait a second, you bastard. Who the hell said that you could talk about me freely like I'm not standing here? Just who are you, anyway? What do you know about me?" Tsunade's eyes snapped to Kaiya, who clenched her fists, but she didn't scold her. Danzo stared at Kaiya, studying her for several moments before he responded, a smile appearing on his face.

"You didn't inherit your father's peaceful nature, that's for certain." She gritted her teeth. "He, along with the Third Hokage and Fourth Hokage, were too soft. Their peaceful ways were poisonous. I hope this captain of yours doesn't follow their beliefs. They're all dead because of them, after all." Kaiya growled, tightening her fist to punch him in the face.

"Tch. Watch what you say about my father!" She reared her arm back, but Tsunade quickly stopped her.

"Kaiya! Control yourself!" she demanded. She paused, her arm shaking as she lowered it back to her side resentfully. She gave Danzo one last glare before storming out of the office, punching a door on the way out, leaving it in shards.

"Damn that guy," she muttered, walking off her steam. She decided to sit on the wall of the gates, staring out at the miles of forest with a glower. She shook her head. _You have to get it under control, Kaiya,_ she told herself. _You're emotionally unstable now, because you haven't interacted with so many people in almost three years, and it's overwhelming. You just have to calm down and think before you speak. Don't let them get to you. Remember what Kuro-sensei taught you, and you'll be fine. You'll get through this._

"Kaiya, are you ready?" Sakura called from below. She glanced down, nodding as she jumped off the wall and landed just outside the gate. Naruto approached her awkwardly, a cautious look in his eyes. Even he didn't fully trust her not to try and run. _If I wanted to run, I could've done so when I was alone. _She rolled her eyes and turned away as Sai and Yamato appeared. They all set out, Kaiya standing away from the group, lost in her thoughts. Naruto and Sai began arguing at some point, but she drowned them out. _Naruto may look older, but he hasn't matured at all. He's still the same knucklehead he was before._ Although, that comforted Kaiya more than it bothered her.

Kaiya could no longer ignore the argument when Naruto began shouting something about Sasuke, with Sai giving him a vulgar response. She frowned, tempted to say something, but didn't as she watched Sakura stop Naruto from trying to punch Sai.

"Teamwork is the most important thing, guys," Sakura pointed out. Kaiya's eyes lowered as she apologized for Naruto. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as Sai accepted Sakura's apology, only to have the medical ninja deck him in the face and send him rolling across the pavement.

DAMN!

"I don't care if you forgive me, though." Wow. Kaiya honestly didn't think she had it in her. In fact, she had yet to see just how strong Sakura had become. She'd found out that she was Tsunade's student, so she was interested in seeing what the Fifth Hokage taught her. Kaiya was already impressed.

The conversation went on, until Yamato got tired of it and summoned a cage with…what the hell…Wood Style.

Wood. Freakin'. Style.

The kekkei genkai of the First Hokage. _Only_ the First Hokage.

Kaiya gritted her teeth as she stared at Yamato and the cage behind him.

_"I would hope that you put an elite shinobi in charge of this mission, Princess Tsunade. Just in case she decides to do something irrational."_

_ "Yes, I did. Part of Kaiya's punishment is aiding Team Kakashi as Naruto's guard. I can assure you that she knows her boundaries and will abide by them. I also assigned the one who stood out the most to be the captain."_

So this was the reason he was chosen.

"You guys stop arguing, or else I'm going to throw you in this cage," Yamato warned. The others seemed just as alarmed as she was, and Naruto even looked a little scared. "Either you spend a day or two inside the cage working things out, or we can go to a hotel with hot springs. What's your answer?"

…

"Why do you keep talking about that anyway?!" Naruto shouted. Kaiya and Sakura paled as the women around them giggled. _What an idiot._

When most of the women left, Kaiya let out a breath of relief as she leaned back against the wall of the bath. Her long hair was tied up in a bun to keep it from getting wet, and a towel rested on her head. She closed her eyes peacefully.

"Ya know, it's nice to finally be able to relax," she told Sakura. "I've been traveling and training constantly for two-and-a-half years. We always slept outside, because Kuro-sensei was paranoid as hell. Not that I got much sleep for it to matter anyway. But now…" Sakura stared at Kaiya solemnly for a while. She didn't seem the least bit guilty for leaving.

"Can I ask you a question?" Kaiya opened one eye, biting her tongue so she wouldn't be tempted to say something vulgar. She already knew what the question was about.

"What is it?"

"You were training, weren't you?" Kaiya nodded. "Where did you go? What kind of things did you learn? Were you happy away from the Leaf, or did you miss us?" Kaiya frowned at all of the questions, closing her eye again.

"I was under the impression you would ask _one_ question," Kaiya said irritably. "Like, 'How was your day, Kaiya?' 'Are you enjoying being a prisoner in your own village?' or how about, 'How do you feel about the possibility of facing Orochimaru and Sasuke after all these years?'" Sakura's face fell. "But of course, nobody gives a damn about all of that. They just want to know what I could possibly have been doing that was worth leaving the village for. Maybe they all thought that I went with Sasuke, because I'm a traitor." She pouted, opening her eyes and averting them to the door.

"Kaiya, I…"

"Kuro-sensei and I traveled all over the place," she cut in, her eyes trailing from the door to the water in front of her. "We never stayed in one place more than two weeks. I learned a lot of ninjutsu and how to fight with a sword, and I perfected control of Jin's chakra and my taijutsu. The first year was the hardest, being away from everyone and trying to accept the fact that I had really left. But after that, I started to enjoy my freedom, and I did my best to put everyone out of my mind so that I didn't have to feel guilty anymore. It worked. Do those answers satisfy you?"

Sakura blinked, taking in everything Kaiya had just told her. She was actually surprised she received any answers. She was utterly sure Kaiya hated her and wouldn't want to tell her anything. She'd already communicated to everyone else in the village that she didn't want to talk. They all asked her anyway, hoping that she'd reveal her feelings to at least one of them.

"After Naruto left the village, I didn't see Kakashi-sensei very much," Sakura stated. Kaiya lifted an eyebrow, looking at Sakura's face after several minutes of avoiding eye contact. "He said he was training, but I also think it was because he wanted to be alone after what happened. I may not know him as well as you do, but even I could see that you disappearing was hard on him—probably harder than it was on anyone else. I don't know what caused you to leave, Kaiya, but I bet Kakashi-sensei blamed himself."

"What's your point?" Kaiya looked down again, biting her bottom lip.

"My point is, everyone took it hard when you left, and we're all scared to try and get close to you again because you don't seem like you're happy to be home." The pink-haired kunoichi sighed. "I know you don't like us all asking about the time you were gone, but please…don't push everyone away because you're too afraid to face us. We've already forgiven you; I think you should forgive yourself and accept the fact that you're back in the village. You aren't the only one who's suffering, you know. If it makes any difference to you, _we're_ all happy that you're back."

Before Kaiya could respond, Sakura got out of the bath and left her alone in her thoughts. She scoffed. _To think that someone like Sakura would be able to read me so easily…tch. _But she was right, and Kaiya knew it.

_"You belong here, Kaiya, whether you'd like to admit that or not. I, on the other hand, don't belong anywhere. Remember what I taught you, but don't ostracize yourself from the others. Distance your emotions, not yourself. Protect this village with your life, even though you don't want to be here at the moment. Understand?"_

Kaiya let out a long, drawn out sigh. This was going to be more work than she thought.

_I'm better alone now_

_See, I'm torn from my mistakes_

_And I stop believing that I could ever make things change_

_How much can I take when I know that it hurts you_

_How long can I wait when I can't go on like this anymore._


	11. In the Belly of the Snake

**I'm updating again just because. Hope you like it.**

**Oh, and a disclaimer: 'Longsword of the Remnant Flame' is actually Head Captain Yamamoto's bankai. So, yeah.**

_If you feel so empty, so used up, so let down_

_If you feel so angry, so ripped off, so stepped on_

_You're not the only one refusing to back down_

_You're not the only one, so get up_

_Let's start a riot._

_Ok, this is getting out of hand._ After their practice run, Sai and Naruto got into another argument. Sai's smartassness was getting on Kaiya's last nerve. She'd almost decked him in the face when he started badmouthing Sasuke. It was true that he betrayed the Leaf and their friendship, but that didn't give some stranger a right to talk about it like he knew him. Cocky bastard.

"Why does he still care about Sasuke that much? After all, he's a traitor." Kaiya's eyes lowered as she glanced at Sai, stalking after the blonde without hesitation. He'd only gone a few meters away from the group, but it was clear that he wanted to be farther. Kaiya approached him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"You alright, Naruto?" she asked, a firm countenance on her face. He glanced back at her, his hard expression softening slightly. He stared at the ground, clawing the bark of the tree his hand was resting on. He stared at the ground in front of him, silent for several moments before answering.

"I'm fine," he told her. After a pause, he picked up his backpack and looked behind him to the others. "We should get going. If we're not there by noon, this would all be for nothing." Kaiya slowly lifted her hand off his shoulder, giving him permission to move forward. Her expression hadn't changed. _After almost three years, your feelings toward Sasuke haven't wavered, Naruto. That might be a problem for me down the line._

…

Kaiya, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai crouched behind the dirt mound as Yamato strolled onto the bridge, disguised as Sasori. Using her Eyes of the Sun jutsu, Kaiya could see a cloaked figure stepping onto the bridge from the other side. She prepared herself for a fight, just in case. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until…

Kaiya's eyes widened as sweat dripped down her brow. She gasped as she held her breath, forcing herself to stay put as the face of the spy was revealed. She looked over to her teammates to see that Naruto and Sakura were both wearing the same expression of utter shock that she had.

Yamato and Kabuto conversed for a minute or two, and Kaiya rested her hand lightly on the hilt of her sword. Things could get ugly any time now, because she knew that if Kabuto was around, that also meant that Orochimaru had to be nearby. Kabuto didn't seem to be able to function without him.

"Tell me about your base and Sasuke Uchiha," 'Sasori' demanded. Kabuto's eyes lowered, only slightly.

"Well, we have many bases; we change them often to avoid being detected. Our current base is hidden on a small island to the north. In three days' time, we'll be moving there. Sasuke Uchiha is there also." Kaiya's eyes widened. She didn't catch much of the conversation because of the strong wind, but she'd caught enough to hear that. The hand resting on her sword trembled, almost unnoticeably. She was so close to seeing Sasuke after so long, and she was so close to seeing Orochimaru's face for the first time. She didn't know what she felt at that moment. She didn't know _how_ to feel about it.

"Hey, are you alright?" Sakura whispered, noticing Kaiya's distress. The latter blinked, averting her eyes as she nodded.

"Of course, Sakura," she assured her teammate. "I'm fine." Sakura's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing more on the subject as she continued to watch the scene unfold before them. Suddenly, Kaiya's eyes widened, as she caught a figure stepping out from the shadows of the opposite side of the bridge, using her jutsu. Her breath caught in her throat, and her eyes couldn't possibly get any wider, threatening to fall out of their sockets.

_Is that—_

Before she could warn the others, the strange figure that she'd seen appeared behind Kabuto, surprising both the latter and their captain. _Damn it! He has to be…_

"Orochimaru!" Kaiya tensed at Naruto's declaration. It took all she had within her not to jump out at that very moment and punch a hole through his gut. "What are we gonna do now?" Naruto wondered. Kaiya asked herself the same thing. She knew what _she_ wanted to do, but she had four others to think about. And there was the mission that they had to complete.

"At this point, we can only wait for the signal," Sai replied. At that moment, Kabuto infused chakra into his right hand, and for a moment they thought he was going to fight Orochimaru. But instead, he turned around and cut Sasori's puppet body in half.

_Damn. It was a trick!_

Yamato managed to get away with only a cut on his arm, but Orochimaru joined in by summoning dozens of snakes which proceeded to bite into Yamato's flesh. Thankfully, it was only a wood clone. Kaiya held her breath as she waited anxiously for the signal. After a couple minutes of talking, Yamato finally motioned them out. The four of them wasted no time in appearing on the bridge, Kaiya's eyes locked on Orochimaru intently. Though she had her focus on him, she could sense Naruto getting riled up, his chakra becoming heavier. Her eyebrows furrowed. She couldn't fight Orochimaru and keep Naruto in line at the same time. She'd have to leave one of the tasks to Yamato. And there was no way she was letting Orochimaru go without attempting to kick his ass first.

Kabuto smiled at Naruto. "You again, huh?" Orochimaru chuckled as his eyes went from Kaiya to Naruto and back again.

"So, the nine-tails?" he questioned, a large grin on his face. His eyes shimmered with delight. "And then there's Kaiya. What a surprise the universe gave me today. You know, Kaiya, you're starting to look like your mother did when she was your age. But then again, you've always resembled your father and Kisho more. Not like Yumi and Yuri. I'm sure they would have loved to see how much you've grown. Too bad you killed them." Kaiya snarled, lowering her head slightly as the others turned to her in question. She ignored them. "I hope you've improved since the last time we saw each other. It wasn't much fun the first time around."

Kaiya boiled with anger from her gut to the top of her head. She wanted to attack and kill him right then, but she held back. One thing Kuro taught her was to analyze the opponent first. And she knew that if Yamato hadn't taken him on by himself, there was no way she could defeat him alone at this point. Especially if she rushed in without a plan.

"It won't be fun this time either," she retorted calmly. "It's going to be painful." Orochimaru smiled, giddy with her response.

"Yes, but for whom is the question."

Sakura watched the exchange between Kaiya and Orochimaru carefully. She knew that Kaiya's family had been killed by Orochimaru, and then with Sasuke joining him… Well, she expected her to attack even before they were signaled onto the bridge. She couldn't imagine the anger Kaiya had for him. But right now, Kaiya almost didn't seem angry. She was calm, collected. There was no doubt that her demeanor made it obvious that she hated him, but what alarmed Sakura was the cold emptiness in her eyes. Shouldn't she have been feeling something? Even anger should have been evident, but it wasn't—not in her eyes.

Kaiya learned how to keep her emotions in control. While it hadn't worked so well on her comrades and friends, she was now in a situation where such things were necessary. Though her entire insides simmered with the hatred she had for Orochimaru, on the outside she showed only disgust. There was nothing more. She knew that her feelings for Orochimaru didn't take priority over the mission. But she was ready to fight him if the opportunity arose. Even if she wasn't entirely ready, she would face him.

_Kaiya…what will you do?_ Yamato wondered. But it wasn't Kaiya he had to worry about at the moment.

Naruto glared at Orochimaru, and Kaiya knew that he was thinking about Sasuke. And Orochimaru knew that too. "I'm interested to know which one has gotten stronger…you, or Sasuke."

"Give Sasuke…back…" The blonde lowered his head, and when he lifted it back up… Kaiya gritted her teeth as orange chakra began bubbling around Naruto's body like a cloak. Her eyes lowered. _I've never seen Naruto use his nine-tails chakra like this before…I'm not sure how this is going to play out, but I wouldn't want to be Orochimaru right now. He looks completely pissed off._

Kabuto decided to explain things to Naruto, which didn't help his mood. "Sasuke came to us of his own free will," he pointed out. "You should get over it. It's been almost three years…" Orochimaru continued his taunts on top of that.

"If you want to know about Sasuke, just force it out of me. If you can, that is… Unless Kaiya beats you to it. I know how much she lo—"

"Shut the hell up!" Kaiya snapped, moving from kneeling on the ground to standing. She pointed to Orochimaru, a livid expression on her face. As the moments passed, her anger began to show more, but she never took a step forward. "You don't know a damn thing about Naruto's feelings, and you sure as hell don't know anything about mine. Talk like that again, and see if Kabuto's not scooping your remains into a bag to take home to his lab. Don't test me, you bastard." Orochimaru seemed pleased by her outburst, moving to take a step towards her, when Naruto suddenly exploded.

The bridge began to crack and splinter under the force of his chakra, and he lunged forward at Orochimaru, arm reared back preparing to impale him. Kaiya's eyes widened when she sensed Orochimaru move quickly from his spot to another in a flash. Naruto missed, his hand striking the bridge at nothing. He angrily glanced behind him at Kabuto, his deep, blue eyes replaced by red pupils and thin slits. Honestly, Kaiya didn't know whether to be afraid or amazed.

Still using her Eyes of the Sun, Kaiya detected Orochimaru on the other side of the bridge, half of his face torn off. There was someone else's face underneath.

What. The. Hell.

What kind of freak was this? Kaiya knew that he was disguised as someone else when they met in the Forest of Death, but she had no idea that he was literally wearing their face. It was disgusting beyond belief, and if they weren't in this situation, she probably would have thrown up. He was even sicker than she had first believed. Then he goes on to say something about Yamato being one of his experiments, and "that's" why he was chosen to watch Naruto.

_Could it be that Orochimaru is the reason Captain Yamato has the Wood Style? And is the Wood Style able to stop the nine-tails?_ Kaiya thought. Well, only time would tell.

As the conversation went on, and as Orochimaru revealed himself to be mentally insane, Naruto's anger reached its peak. Kaiya couldn't even recognize him anymore. It was like he was some kind of monster.

"_You're a monster! Get outta here, ya freak!" _

"_There he is! Keep your distance, or else!"_

Kaiya clenched her fists. _Now I know why all the villagers were afraid of him…but I'm not._ She took a step forward slowly, looking back at Yamato for a moment before returning her gaze to her best friend and archenemy. As Naruto's chakra thickened and turned darker, her skin began to burn—first, like fire, then like acid. She wanted to cry out, but she knew it would do no good. She did her best to keep a straight face as she watched what unfolded before her: An unrealistic amount of orange chakra swirled around the entire bridge, bursting forth from the inside of Naruto. The latter's teeth grew into fangs, and his whiskers thickened. Kaiya had to shield her face from the shockwave.

"What the…hell?!" Naruto roared, and Orochimaru smirked in amusement as the bridge began to collapse. Kaiya knew that she would have no choice but to intervene, but she wanted to know just how effective Yamato was going to be in stopping Naruto. It already appeared to be too late for that.

Kabuto rushed forward, but he was quickly thrashed aside by a burst of the nine-tails' chakra. The middle of the bridge exploded, and Kaiya and Sakura were thrown back by the blast. "Aah!" Kaiya managed to catch her footing; she flipped and slid backwards to a stop next to Sai. She watched as Naruto chased Orochimaru off the bridge, and started running after them. Yamato called her back, and she froze as she watched Sakura sliding off the bridge.

"Sai, help Sakura!" the captain shouted. Kaiya frowned as Sai drew a bird from ink and flew away, completely ignoring the kunoichi as she fell right past him off of the bridge. She gritted her teeth.

"Damn that bastard," she muttered, taking a leap off the bridge with an outstretched arm. She grabbed onto Sakura's hand, pulling her against her chest as they continued to fall. It was clear that she hadn't completely thought through this, although she did have something in mind: Biting her thumb, she held her free hand out towards the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!" A jet black wolf appeared, his head level with where the bridge had previously been before crumbling. He looked behind him at Kaiya, who was carrying Sakura on her shoulder, as she jumped off of his head and next to Yamato on the only part of the bridge that remained.

"Phew." He let out a breath of relief. "Thank you, Kaiya. That was a close one." She nodded, turning back to the woods on the opposite side, where she heard a loud explosion. The event was evident even from their standpoint. Kumori's eyes narrowed.

"What the hell is going on here?" he wondered. His voice had deepened slightly since she saw him last, and there was no doubt that he'd grown quite a bit. He watched Kaiya closely as she gently placed Sakura onto the ground. "It's been a while, Kaiya," he greeted. "Far too long, by the looks of things." She nodded, averting her eyes from the woods to her summoning.

"It has, Kumori," she agreed. "But we'll have to catch up later, because at the moment we've got one hell of a problem." His dark ears perked up in question. "It's Orochimaru. He's here, and Naruto is going on a rampage with the nine-tails' chakra. He has to be stopped, before he destroys the entire forest." Kumori nodded.

"I see. Hop on, then." Kaiya looked back at Yamato, who was tending to Sakura. He gave her a nod, and she jumped on Kumori's head.

"Be careful," he warned, furrowing his eyebrows. "Don't make the assumption that Naruto won't hurt you just because you're his friend. At this point, anything could happen. And make sure that he doesn't grow a fourth tail."

"Right." She nodded curtly.

"And Kaiya…" She lifted an eyebrow. "Keep an eye out for Sai. I want to know what he's up to." She frowned, but nodded again as Kumori jumped on to the cliff and towards the explosion. It only took him a few giant leaps before he was standing over the area where Orochimaru and Naruto were going head-to-toe.

"Thanks, Kumori. I can take it from here." The wolf nodded, and as soon as Kaiya landed onto the ground, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Kaiya looked around, having never stopped using her Eyes of the Sun. At this point in the fight, Orochimaru had lost an arm, but was still smiling. All of a sudden, he…shed his skin, like a snake. _No wonder this guy has evaded the Leaf for so long. Is it even possible for someone to kill him?! _

Though she was sick to her stomach, Kaiya watched on as Orochimaru taunted Naruto for not being as strong as Sasuke. She snarled. "Naruto!" She ran to him, hoping that by hearing her voice, he would return to normal. But that's not what happened. In fact, it was the opposite. Naruto began growing a fourth tail. _Damn it! _The chakra bubbled and formed slowly, and his eyes began to glow; his skin began peeling, and his entire persona shifted from human to…well, she didn't know what. "N-Naruto…" She stopped in her pursuit, watching in horror as a dark ball of chakra formed around him; a beam penetrated the heavens, and the air grew cold and dark. She could literally taste dread on her tongue as the thickness of the air increased. Her skin burned worse than before. It was like tiny claws were scratching her all over her body and inside of her throat, trying to get out.

It hurt.

The pain was hard to ignore, but when Naruto let out his bloodcurdling scream, Kaiya found the distraction she needed. She had to help him. Except for the fact that she couldn't get anywhere near him. When the ball of chakra shrunk, Naruto emerged as anything but human. He was a fox. His vast chakra sent her flying across what used to be part of the forest but was now an open field. "Aah!" She stopped when her back hit a tree, thrusting her forward. She leaned forward on all fours, catching her breath before glancing up. A pool of blood sat beneath her, and the warm, red liquid continued to drip from the corner of her mouth.

"Damn it, Naruto…what the hell did you do to yourself?" she muttered, pushing herself to her feet. This was a pain unlike any she'd felt before, and she hoped that she never had to feel it again. She stumbled as she took a step forward, finding her balance against a tree trunk a few feet away. She growled, shaking her head as her vision blurred for a split second. "Looks like I have no choice but to use Jin's chakra. I was hoping it wouldn't come to that, but there's no way that I'll survive between Naruto and Orochimaru if I don't."

The dragon appeared on her right forearm, and her eyes changed to a dark gold. Her wounds began to heal, and she found the strength to walk again. Watching Naruto destroy pretty much everything around him _but_ Orochimaru, she decided to give it a try.

"Maybe you can elude him now," Kaiya said to herself, "but I wonder how long you can avoid both of us." Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, willing herself to relax. If she was going to use this next jutsu, she had to be calm, or else it could end up destroying the entire forest, along with everyone in it. After a few moments, she made hand signs slowly, her eyes still closed. She'd only used this technique once, and almost destroyed an entire village. It had also caused her to lose consciousness for three days because of the immense amount of chakra it required, even with her seal activated. After that, she vowed only to use it in dire times, when there were no other options.

This appeared to be one of those times.

"Fire Style…" Tiger. Horse. Monkey. Tiger. Sheep. Tiger. Dragon. Dog. Dragon. Serpent. Rooster. Hare. Kaiya slammed her palm onto the ground, just as Naruto created a dense ball of chakra, ingesting it suddenly. She knew what was coming next: an explosion. So she had to act before then. "Pillars of Hades!"

The entire forest shook as pillars of flames burst from the ground from seven different points, penetrating the heavens. The temperature rose several degrees; sweat began dripping down everyone's faces. Now, no one could escape. The pillars slowly began moving, circulating Sai, Kaiya, Orochimaru, and Naruto. The latter had just released the ball of chakra he'd swallowed, causing an immense explosion, which Orochimaru had countered, though it proved utterly useless.

Everyone looked around them, their eyes widening at the flames that seemed to be closing in on them. Kaiya breathed heavily, her vision faltering as she tried to fight to stay conscious. She wasn't finished yet.

She flickered next to Naruto, her eyes widening as she caught sight of Orochimaru's disfigured body. "…" She glanced beside her at her best friend, who turned to her slowly. Letting out a screech, he launched for her, quicker than she could move out of the way. She gritted her teeth, tensing as he neared; but he never came. Orochimaru's head burst through the dirt, a sword protruding from his mouth. The sword penetrated Naruto's body, sending him flying back several hundred meters, all the way back to Yamato, Sakura, and Kabuto. He passed right through the wall of flames, which crackled and spread, attempting to burn him alive. However, they were useless against the Jinchuriki in his altered state. Kaiya gritted her teeth.

"Naruto!" _Damn it, at this rate…I can feel myself losing energy fast, and with his increasing power, along with Orochimaru constantly managing to avoid death…this isn't going to end well._ She took off after them, as Orochimaru's head followed him, somehow managing to pass through the flames unharmed. If not even that worked, then she had wasted all of her chakra for nothing. She chased Orochimaru, while he continued to drive his sword into Naruto's abdomen.

Yamato grabbed Sakura, who had since woken up, and carried her away, knowing that only disaster awaited. Kabuto decided to move out of range as well. Naruto broke Orochimaru's sword, tossing it away to reveal that it had done no damage whatsoever. Orochimaru looked surprised for the first time, looking behind him at Kaiya and the large wall of flames she created. He smirked.

"Hmm…your ninjutsu is quite impressive," he noted. "You two might pose some competition for Sasuke after all." Kaiya frowned, baring her teeth as she lowered her golden eyes.

"You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into," she retorted, pulling out Kurokaji. His eyes widened in wonder at her blade, his eyes shimmering with adoration.

"Blackfire, the fierce blade of darkness." He chuckled, swallowing the snake that held his sword. Kaiya wanted to gag, and she promised herself that she would do so after she took care of the situation at hand.

"So you've heard of it…good. That means you know what it can do, especially with my power." After a pause, she lifted the sword into the air with one hand. "Witness the power of a Legend." She closed her eyes, letting out a slow breath through her nostrils. "Longsword of the Remnant Flame!" The pillars of flames were suddenly sucked into Kurokaji in as little as a moment, leaving the land scarred and black with ash. All of the flames disappeared, but Blackfire's blade appeared to be charred in several different places.

Kaiya was going to turn Orochimaru into ash.

_Like a snake with my foot on your head_

_Don't want you dead, need you alive_

_To feel every moment when I crush it._


	12. Just a Dream

**Been a while. Sup.**

_There's another world inside of me that you may never see_

_There're secrets in this life that I can't hide_

_Somewhere in this darkness there's a light that I can't find_

_Maybe it's too far away_

_Or maybe I'm just blind._

Orochimaru's eyebrows furrowed as he watched Kaiya intently. With all of the chakra that had just been absorbed into her sword, there was no telling what it could do. He knew all of the legends and rumors of Blackfire, but he had no desire to discover them for himself. She held it out towards him, a look of tiredness and coolness on her face. He glanced back at Naruto, who was staring at the both of them hungrily. It was impossible to tell what he was going to do next, when he would strike—or whom.

"There's nowhere for you to go, Orochimaru," Kaiya told him, her eyes free from the terror and confusion it had had only moments ago. This time, she was sure she had him—his head, that is, since it was the only part of him present. "If any part of my blade touches you, you'll instantly turn to ash. Your entire existence will fade…not even you can escape such a fate." Orochimaru chuckled as his head moved back from both of them.

"Dear Kaiya, you're so fierce…I like that. All the fear and uncertainty has disappeared from your eyes, unlike the first time we met in the Forest of Death." Her face hardened slightly. "But there's one thing that still hasn't changed: You're not strong enough. You're relying on the power of your Legend, but not even that's enough to stop me. You exhausted almost all of your chakra in one attack, and it would appear that it's failed. You aren't good enough to protect the people you care about, even after all this time." He grinned maliciously, licking his lips with his long, sickly tongue. Kaiya frowned, clenching her jaw as she lifted her arm to cut him. Just as she brought it down, Naruto lunged at Orochimaru.

It surprised Kaiya, and her blade flew out of her hand, sliding across the ground. She took her eyes off of the situation for one moment, in which Orochimaru used this as a chance to attack. Bearing his fangs, he launched himself at her, but she quickly jumped out of the way. However, Naruto lunged at her at almost the same time, and not knowing what to do, as either way she moved would result in injury, she froze. Naruto's claws dug into her face swiftly, sending her flying across the dirt.

"Ugh!" She flew back, scratch marks across her left cheek and neck. She rolled to a stop slowly, right on the edge of where the bridge had formerly began, before Naruto destroyed it. The chakra inside of her blade dispersed, since it did not stay absorbed for long, and she lost consciousness soon after.

Kaiya let out a groan as she writhed from the pain. Every cell of her body felt like it was on fire, like she had been placed in the midst of a volcano. There was a burning sensation in every vein and artery, like poison was flooding through her bloodstream rapidly. _It…hurts…_ The pain was so intense, her eyes shot open, and she was brought back to the light. When Kaiya's vision cleared, she was looking into the eyes of Naruto, still in his nine-tails form; he was holding her in his arms. _What is he…doing?_ she asked herself.

"N-Naruto…" His consciousness had disappeared, and yet here he was, cradling her as if he wasn't being overwhelmed by the nine-tails' hatred. She couldn't tell why he was looking at her either, as his eyes were empty and full of malice. _How can…?_ The burning she had felt in her subconscious had now surfaced, much worse than it had been only moments before. A few seconds later, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she once again faded into darkness.

…

"Kaiya. Kaiya, wake up." Kaiya did as she was told, opening her eyes groggily to see that she was lying in a bed of flowers in what appeared to be a meadow. But that didn't make sense. From what she could tell, she was just outside the Leaf Village, where the female Academy students learned botany, long before Kaiya came back from her travels with Tzu and Ringo.

Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes, frantically looking around her. How did she get back? Where were the others? How long had she been unconscious? She searched for the voice, but she seemed to be alone. "Wait… What the hell is going on?" she asked, her words slurring slightly. She was still dazed from the loss of chakra.

"You fell asleep." Kaiya's eyes widened when the voice returned. Not only was she shocked that it appeared out of nowhere, but also because she recognized who it belonged to. Jumping to her feet, she turned, swirling in circles to find him.

"S-Sasuke?! Where are you?" As she was circling around, she was stopped suddenly, mid-spin, by the owner of the voice. "Sasuke…" Kaiya let out a deep breath as she took him in. He looked no different than the day he left her in the Valley of the End. He was even still wearing his forehead protector. She was much taller than him now. _Am I dead?_ she thought, squeezing her eyes shut. _Either that, or I'm in some sort of genjutsu._ Sasuke smiled softly, chuckling as he shook his head.

"It's neither," he answered, making her frown. If he could hear her thoughts, what did that mean? What kind of cruel game was someone playing? "You're not dead, Kaiya. And you're not in a genjutsu. This is simply the purest part of your heart, where you've always been afraid to venture." She scoffed.

"Then why are you here?" she murmured. Sasuke's smile faltered slightly.

"You tell me." Her eyes lowered.

"A better question is, why am I here?" The young Uchiha outstretched his arms, and Kaiya suddenly felt shorter. She looked down to see that her hair was much shorter, loose around her shoulders. Just like it used to be. She glanced at her arms, which had less muscle definition than a moment ago at Tenchi Bridge. She no longer towered over Sasuke. "Wait a second…why—"

"Stop asking questions for a second and come with me." Sasuke offered his hand, and she stared at it skeptically. She was well aware that none of this was real, and she was confused as to why Sasuke was there in front of her, supposedly in the 'purest part of her heart.' But if she wanted to find out why she was there, she decided she had no choice. Slowly taking his hand, she let him lead her to the gates of the village. She sighed, taking back her hand.

"I hope there's a point to you taking me here," she snapped. "This is a dream, so I don't know why I'm even wasting my time." Sasuke sighed, casually placing his hands in his pockets as he took a step forward.

"Dreams often bring to light things we'd never notice or accept while we're awake. There's a reason you're here, Kaiya. Just come and see for yourself." Against her better judgment, she followed him into Konoha. As soon as she stepped inside the perimeters of the village, there was a flash of light, and Sasuke froze.

"S-Sasuke…what's going on?" Kaiya wondered, looking around her for any indication of what happened. Sasuke said nothing as he continued to stand still in front of her, hands in his pockets. She growled. "Sasuke, I'm talking to you! You can't just bring me here and then ignore me. Sa—"

"Why wouldn't I ignore you?" he cut in. His voice sounded darker and more condescending, like it had in the Forest of Death, the first time his curse mark activated. Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed as she slowly closed her mouth. Her eyes lowered.

"What did you just say?"

"You're surprised that I'm ignoring you, but you shouldn't be. After all, I left you to die, didn't I? You poured out your heart to me, you let me walk away…and I made sure that you couldn't follow. And yet you still trusted me to take you here." Gritting her teeth, Kaiya took a step back.

"So why the hell _did_ you bring me here?" Sasuke slowly turned around, and Kaiya's eyes widened as she caught sight of his face. His eyes were dark and yellow, just like Orochimaru's; his skin was a sickly purple, and his hair had grown long, turning grey. There was a dark, heavy chakra swirling around him. He smirked at her confusion as she coiled in fear, turning around to leave the village. However, she halted after only a couple of steps to see the gates were shut tight. "Damn it!" She took off towards the apartment she had shared with Kakashi, hoping that he'd be there. She didn't look back. "Kakashi! Kakashi, open the door!" Kaiya banged on the door as hard as she could, fear evident in her eyes for the first time in years.

The door opened casually, and Kaiya let out a breath of relief as Kakashi stood before her. His face twisted into a frown that she knew all too well, even though his mask was covering it. His eyes peered down at her frigidly; they were distant and disdainful, almost like they were staring at an enemy. "What are you doing here?" he asked harshly.

"I…" She blinked, taking a step back.

"You think you can disappear for three years and then come back like nothing happened? Did you think I could ever forgive you for what you said to me?" Kaiya's eyes widened.

_"Well maybe my problem is you! You stand in front of that stone all day and stare at it like that'll change something. You have no right to lecture me. You don't let anyone in, but you act like you know everyone else. Just stop pretending like you know what I'm going through!_

_ "If you had taken care of that damn curse mark like you promised, Sasuke would still be here. And then you let me believe my family was dead for seven years, and then you show up to kill them after telling me that I'm going on an important assignment. You're a liar, just like _them._ I don't…I don't want to stay here with you anymore._

_ "Shut the hell up! I hate you, and everyone else in this stupid village! I don't want anything to do with the Leaf anymore. All it's caused me is heartache."_

Kaiya blinked, lowering her head in shame. "You're selfish, Kaiya," Kakashi continued. Malice and resentment dripped from his voice like raindrops from a rooftop. "You didn't think about the consequences of your actions, because you were too ashamed to admit that everything was your fault. For two-and-a-half years, you let everyone else take the blame for your mistakes and your insecurities. And now you expect everyone to forgive you."

Taking another step back, Kaiya clenched her fists. "That's not…Kakashi, I…" Her eyes averted to the wooden floor of the apartment complex. She couldn't look him in the eye, afraid that she would see the same look that she had once seen in all of the villagers, right after her father died. It was the same glare everyone gave Naruto for most of his life.

"And the worst part is, you're still weak." Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed at Kakashi's punitive words. "Nothing has changed, Kaiya. And nothing ever will." Kakashi took a step back, slamming the door in her face. Kaiya's lip quivered, her shoulders trembled. She was trying so hard not to cry, but the urge was unbearable at this point. She wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. Sweat dripped down her brow as she stared at the closed door in front of her, a pained expression on her face.

_This has to be some sort of genjutsu,_ she figured. _Why else would all of this be happening?_ Even though deep down Kaiya knew what she had just witnessed wasn't reality, it still felt real to her. But she still hadn't gotten an answer to her question: Why was she here? There was only one other placed she dared go.

"Naruto, are you there?" Kaiya gently knocked on her best friend's apartment door. Sasuke was nowhere to be found, so she decided that she would turn to the only person who had ever accepted her from the very beginning. A few seconds later, the door opened. Naruto blinked, rubbing his eyes as if he had just woken up. He too looked younger.

"What is it, Kaiya?" She let out a breath of relief, happy to know that he didn't verbally attack her as soon as he opened the door.

"Naruto, Sasuke brought me here to the village, but I don't know why. Can you help me?" As soon as he heard Sasuke's name, Naruto straightened up, his eyes widening.

"S-Sasuke?" he repeated. His whiskers twitched. "Sasuke is here?!" Without waiting for her answer, he took off, jumping from his balcony, leaving his door wide open.

"Tch. Naruto, wait!" She ran after him, trying to get him to stop. Nothing she did worked. Naruto looked in every nook and cranny of the village, ending up right in front of the gate, where Kaiya had last seen Sasuke before running away. Catching his breath, Naruto sneered, grabbing Kaiya by the collar and dragging her face close to his.

"Where is he?!" Naruto demanded desperately. "Where's Sasuke? You said that he was here!" Shaking her head, Kaiya looked away, unable to look at him in the eyes.

"He was here when I left, but I ran away after—"

"You're always running away!" He shoved her back, releasing his grip on her collar. She stumbled, holding out her arms to balance herself. Her eyebrows furrowed at Naruto, but she didn't retaliate. "You think you're stronger now, but you're not," he went on, slashing his arm in front of him. "All you do is run away when things get too tough for you. You ran away from the village after your father died; you ran away from the people that cared about you after Itachi left; you ran away from responsibility when your siblings died and Sasuke left the village. And then you ran away from us because you didn't want to admit that you were too weak to save anyone. You're a coward!"

"I'm not a coward!" Kaiya shouted defensively, clenching her fists. She attempted to make her voice sound firm and unrelenting, but instead it was shaky and unconvincing. Naruto scoffed.

"Of course you are. You're always relying on someone to save you: your father, Kakashi, your team, me, Sasuke, Jin, Kuro—the list goes on. When are you going to start relying on your own strength?"

"He's right, Kaiya." The latter's eyes widened as her breath caught in her throat; she stiffened, slowly glancing behind her to see Itachi, dressed in his ANBU uniform, standing about three feet from her back.

"I-Itachi…what the hell are you doing here?" He chuckled humorlessly, shaking his head. The look of disappointment on his face was evident as his red eyes bore into her soul.

"You were always weak. That's why I took it upon myself to look after you. But instead of using my departure as a means to grow stronger, you just used it to make excuses. You're a failure of a ninja."

"And a failure of a daughter." Yasuo appeared next to his student, a hand on his shoulder. He was giving her the same look. Amaya appeared next to him.

"And a sister." Kisho, Yumi, and Yuri.

"And a teammate." Ronin, Kioko, and Usagi.

"And a friend." All of her classmates and Iruka.

"You let Sasuke leave, and then you left so no one would find out."

"You couldn't save us, so you just got rid of us instead."

"You're trying to kill Sasuke so that you don't have to feel guilty anymore."

"You didn't want to come home because you didn't want to face the truth."

"You let us all down. Do you really think we'll forgive you?"

"I knew from the very beginning that you would never be Hokage," Sarutobi said, as he and Asuma appeared next to the others; Tsunade and Shizune were behind them. Kakashi and Sasuke also reappeared, surrounding her in a circle.

"I don't know what I ever saw in you." Yoshi, Haru, Sora, Nariko, and Raiden appeared too.

"You're a failure, Kaiya," Kuro said, crossing his arms as he took a step forward. His blue eyes gleamed with discontent. "I invested three years of my life into you, and for what? You make me sick. I'm glad to finally be rid of you."

"Coward."

"Coward."

"Coward."

"Coward!"

Kaiya crumbled to her knees. She couldn't run this time. Grabbing her head, she cradled herself in the fetal position, doing her best to keep the voices out. But nothing was working.

_**"You can't keep the voices out of your head from the inside."**_ Jin's voice echoed around her, shaking the ground beneath her; his laugh rattled her eardrums. Finally, the first tear fell, followed by another, and another, until she was weeping uncontrollably.

"Leave me alone," she whispered, shaking from her sobs. "Go away." Sasuke took a step forward, hands still in his pockets. His image was still altered to look like some kind of monster.

"What kind of shinobi cries? Admit it, Kaiya. You're weak. You were always a coward, and you always will be. No time away from the village will change that." All of a sudden, Sasuke morphed into something more terrifying than before: Orochimaru. He grinned down at her, licking his long tongue with satisfaction.

"Little Kaiya, don't be afraid. None of this will matter soon. It'll all be over before you know it. In fact, why don't you just give up now? Give in to the terror and darkness that threatens to consume you. Give in to your fear." His neck stretched, his fangs extending. They sank into her neck, and her cries of pain echoed throughout the entire village.

At this point, she had forgotten that this wasn't real, because for her, it was. It was her fears come to life. And she couldn't escape them, because this was in her own subconscious—the deepest part of her heart. These were the fears she had neglected to face from the very beginning. No amount of physical training could prevent this, and she couldn't push it down anymore. She had to face all of her fears right here and now. The problem was, she didn't know how.

_I can't escape myself_

_So many times I've tried_

_But there's still rage inside_

_Somebody get me through this nightmare_

_I can't control myself._


	13. A Reunion Approaches

**Thanks for all reviews, favorites, and follows for this story.**

_I feel like moving back_

_Sometimes it's hard to dream_

_The life I chose is past_

_It's moving without me_

_Who doesn't want a machine so they can go back in time_

_I don't know._

Kaiya woke with a jolt, sweat pouring down her face in buckets. Breathing heavily, she looked around her frantically, shoving off the arm that touched her shoulder. "Get the hell away from me!" she screamed, squeezing her eyes shut and swinging an arm, only to have it caught in midair.

"Kaiya, calm down. It's me." Whimpering, she opened her eyes to Yamato, who was holding her wrist tightly in an attempt to keep from getting punched. She paused, letting the cool breeze dry the sweat on her face as she realized she was awake and in no danger. Her arm went limp, and Yamato set it down gently, his eyebrows furrowing in concern. "Are you alright?"

"S-sorry, Captain Yamato," she murmured, looking down. "I'm fine." Once she gained her composure, she wiped the remaining sweat from her brow with the back of her arm, looking around once more. Sakura and Naruto were about a meter away, tending what appeared to be a wound on her arm. "What happened? Where's Sai? Is he—"

"It seems he left with Orochimaru," Yamato answered, averting his gaze to a nearby tree. Kaiya's own eyes lowered.

"I see. So he's a traitor." _I knew I didn't like that guy._ Yamato sighed, leaning back against a tree trunk. Kaiya noticed that her wounds had been healed. She felt her face burning moments ago, most likely from the sweat coming in contact with the scratch Naruto had given her before she passed out. However, it seems as if Jin's chakra had healed it almost completely by now; Sakura probably also aided in the process. "So what exactly happened since I passed out?" Yamato stared at his hands.

"Well, Naruto continued on his rampage, and he hurt Sakura." His voice was quiet, like he didn't want Naruto and Sakura to hear him. Kaiya's eyes widened. _Both of us?_ "After a while, Orochimaru and Kabuto escaped, apparently with Sai in tow. We didn't want to pursue them without you, so I carried you. Sakura healed most of your wounds, and I'm guessing your Legend did the rest." She nodded, closing her eyes for a moment.

"I slowed us down, then," she figured. "Now we'll never catch up to them." Yamato shook his head.

"You were hurt pretty badly, not to mention you lost a significant amount of chakra. It's not your fault," he assured her. "You've only been out of it for a few minutes. We stopped because Sakura is also hurt, and she doesn't have an inner healing power like you do to counteract the nine-tails' chakra that inflicted the wound." Kaiya's gaze drifted to the other two. Naruto was asking Sakura what happened, as if he didn't know. She turned back to Yamato.

"Captain, it sounds like Naruto doesn't know that he's the one—" His eyebrows furrowed as he sent her a warning look. She stopped, her eyes narrowing. _Naruto…_ That had to be true. If he knew that he was the one who hurt them, he wouldn't have left either one of their sides, and he would have been overwhelmed with guilt. She knew how he felt about the nine-tails, and she knew how he felt about her and Sakura. He wouldn't have been able to stand it.

Kaiya didn't finish her sentence, letting out a small sigh as she closed her eyes for a moment. "Tell me how we're going to find them," she told Yamato. The latter nodded.

"I have a wood clone following them now. As soon as you and Sakura are good to go, we'll be tailing them. We have to be quick, though." Yamato pushed himself to his feet, holding out a hand for Kaiya to take. Sasuke flashed in her mind, when he led her to the village in her dream. She took his hand, and he pulled her to a standing position. She had to lean against the tree, but only for a moment. She was too preoccupied with her dream to notice her shaking knees and uneven breath.

_What the hell was that? It seemed so real._

Before they took off, Yamato called Naruto over. As the blonde approached them, Kaiya knew what this was about.

"Kaiya, are you ok? When I woke up, you were hurt." He lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything to help you." Kaiya averted her gaze, a small smile on her face.

"Don't worry about that, Naruto. It's not your job to protect me." She tried not to show it, but a sliver of fear crossed her face, and she took a half-step back. He didn't notice.

Yamato made sure Sakura wasn't listening before he proceeded. "Naruto, there's something you should know." He looked at the captain eagerly, not a clue in the world about what he'd done. Yamato glanced at Kaiya for a moment before turning his attention back to Naruto. "Kaiya and Sakura were hurt the same way, by the same person…" Naruto waited. "It was you, Naruto. You're the one that hurt them." Naruto stared at Yamato for a few seconds, his expression hard to read at first. His head lowered as he recalled what he had done to Jiraiya not too long ago.

"So the bridge, and the crater, and Kaiya's face and Sakura's arm…" Yamato nodded. Kaiya bit her lip and grabbed her arm with the opposite hand, lowering her gaze as the realization hit him slowly.

"That's right," Yamato agreed. "You did it all. Sakura didn't want to hurt you, so she lied. And if Kaiya didn't have a powerful healing ability, she'd be in even worse shape. In fact, you might have even killed her." Naruto's eyes widened as he turned to Kaiya, who looked at him with a guilty expression. His eyes drifted to Sakura, who was resting against a tree. "I have a special ability that is able to suppress your Jinchuriki powers, so you shouldn't worry, as long as I'm close to you. To be honest, I didn't have to tell you the truth, but I did because if you use that power, you could have a better chance of saving Sasuke." Kaiya's eyes lowered. "But relying on the nine-tails…that isn't your true strength.

"Know that if you use the Kyubi, you'll not only hurt yourself…you'll hurt those close to you." Naruto looked down remorsefully, sweat dripping down his brow. "You should have realized that by now. The reason you didn't try to stop that power was because you were growing impatient, right?" He didn't say anything as Yamato continued. "From now on, I'm going to be suppressing those nine-tails powers of yours completely," he explained. "However, don't think that this will make you weaker. Actually, you're strong enough not to have to rely on them."

"Are you sure about that?" Naruto wondered solemnly, lifting his head. Kaiya frowned, resting her hand on his arm. He looked at her in surprise, not expecting her to forgive him so easily.

"Come on, Naruto. Look at all of the odds you've overcome in your life," she beckoned, a sincere smile gracing her lips. "You're able to stand the nine-tails chakra because of your own strength. I know that there are many others who would agree with me." She took Naruto's hand in hers, gripping it tightly. She had meant every word she said. Naruto was special, and not just because he was a Jinchuriki. He had a special gift that was much more powerful than any chakra the nine-tails could give him. It was the power to change the coldest hearts, the power to believe in the impossible and make it happen.

"…" Yamato smirked, crossing his arms.

"She's right. If you want to save Sasuke, do it with your own power, not with the Kyubi's. If you really want to see Sasuke, that is…and if you really want to protect Sakura and Kaiya." After a moment or two, Naruto grinned, squeezing Kaiya's hand. She let out a silent breath of relief.

"Yeah…" He looked at Kaiya, then lowered his gaze to their hands. "Kaiya, I promise…I won't ever hurt you again. I'll spend my entire life protecting you—with my own strength." She smiled, wrapping her arms around his torso as she leaned into his chest.

After Yamato's clone located Orochimaru's lair, they were off again. "Naruto, this time…we'll succeed in bringing Sasuke back. Both of us." Kaiya's eyes lowered as Sakura turned to her. "And you too, Kaiya." She glanced at the kunoichi but said nothing as they continued in their pursuit to reach Orochimaru's hideout.

_I wonder about that… _Kaiya thought.

…

"Come to think of it, Naruto thinks of you like a brother," Sai told Sasuke. The latter stared at the Leaf ninja in distaste. "That's what Sakura told me, at least. And she also said something about Kaiya." Sasuke's eyes widened, almost unnoticeably in the dark room. "She said that you and Kaiya were close once, and that she even ran away from the village when you left." Sasuke blinked in question, lowering his eyes. "Orochimaru is her mortal enemy, isn't that right?" Sai glanced at Orochimaru, who smirked humorously. "It would appear that she's been placed on this mission too… If what Sakura says is true, she'll be coming to rescue you with the rest of the team. It appears that she was closer to you than the others."

Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment, Kaiya's face fresh in his mind. He could still see her clearly as she looked up at him in shock, after he'd stabbed her with a kunai. He could still feel her cold lips against his in the pouring rain; he could still see the look of betrayal in her eyes as he said goodbye. He opened his eyes, a frown on his face.

"As far as brothers are concerned, I only have one," he stated matter-of-factly. His Sharingan was activated, studying Sai closely. He already annoyed him, and he hadn't been in his presence for more than a couple of minutes. "And as for Kaiya…" His eyebrows furrowed. "I don't give a damn about her. Don't mention her again. Or I'll kill you." After a few seconds, he disappeared. Orochimaru sighed, a smile on his face as he shrugged.

"That's Sasuke for you… Mentioning Kaiya must have put him in an even worse mood than before. Anyway, I suppose I should leave before things escalate any further." He handed Kabuto the manila folder Sai gave him and instructed him to make a book of the data inside.

…

Kaiya and the others stopped at a large rock formation in the middle of a field. Yamato's clone directed them to the entrance of the hideout. Before they went inside, Yamato handed them seeds to swallow. Kaiya lifted and eyebrow in question.

"What are these for?" she asked.

"If we end up separating, I'll be able to locate you immediately, with these inside of you," he explained. "They're a tool of mine that responds only to my chakra. I planted the same ones in Sai's clothing and food." Sakura held her seed up and examined it.

"I see! So this is how you were able to keep track of him." Yamato nodded.

"But when did you…?"

"Don't you remember?" Yamato reminded Naruto. "When I went back to the room when we were at the hot springs." After a pause, he sighed. "Anyway, swallow them now, please." Naruto and Sakura did so, but Kaiya only pretended to swallow hers. Instead, she kept it underneath her tongue. "We'll go inside in this order: Me first, then Sakura, then Naruto, and Kaiya at the rear."

"What's our method of infiltration?" Sakura questioned, putting on her gloves.

"We'll use an earth technique to approach from underground," Yamato instructed. Naruto turned to Kaiya, whose look was hard to decipher.

They snuck inside the hideout, and Yamato instructed them to search for Sai first. It didn't take them long, since Yamato knew exactly where he was, thanks to his tracking seeds. "Well, look who we have here." He opened the door to a surprised Sai. Kaiya's brows creased. After he'd been questioned, he willingly admitted that he'd been caught, all while wearing that stupid smile on his face. If it was the last thing she did, Kaiya was going to knock it off one way or another.

Somehow, she didn't believe Sai. He was too calm about it all. He'd gone through all of that trouble just to give up in the end without a fight. He was in a secret sect of the ANBU Black Ops. There was no way he'd surrender so easily. Kaiya said nothing as the others continued to milk information out of him. That was another thing—even if he was telling the truth, it wouldn't make sense. Why would he just give everything away like that? Even if it was four-against-one, he would have seen it coming and devised a plan to escape.

"Even for shinobi, totally discarding our emotions is completely impossible," Sakura explained to Sai. Kaiya clenched her fists. The conversation went on, and at Yamato's accusation that he killed his brother, Sai cut him off.

"You're wrong," he corrected him. Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to explain. "I intended to give this to my brother as a present, but before I could complete it, he died of an illness." Sai's smile returned, irking Kaiya. "He wasn't actually my brother by blood. We grew close in Root. But about this book… The picture I wanted to show him the most was the one in the middle, but after he died, I just can't seem to remember what I wanted to draw." Kaiya crossed her arms, and the four of them escorted him outside the hideout, where Yamato bound him with his wood. They left him there with a wood clone to keep watch over him.

"It'd be better if you gave up on Sasuke now," Sai said, lowering his head. Naruto and Sakura stared at him in question. "I met Sasuke. Orochimaru is always with him, and if you continue to chase after him, you'll be guinea pigs at best." Kaiya did her best to keep a straight face as Sai went on. "Besides that, it may be true that you care about Sasuke like a brother, but he doesn't care about you anymore." He turned to Kaiya. Her eyes lowered. "He doesn't care about you either, Kaiya. In fact, he seemed to have more hatred towards you than the other two." Kaiya clenched her jaw, biting her tongue to keep from saying something. The other three glanced at her, waiting to see how she reacted. She didn't. "To take matters farther, you're attempting to go up against Orochimaru, of all people…and just for him. You'd put your life on the line just to bring him back, even though he doesn't care about you?"

All eyes fell on Naruto. After not saying anything, Sai questioned why he would do so of his own free will. The breeze blew his blonde locks to and fro, and they watched as a smile appeared on his face. Kaiya blinked. "Sasuke is my friend," Naruto told Sai. "He and I have a bond, one of the many that I waited my whole life to receive." Sai's eyes widened.

"Bonds?" he repeated. Naruto nodded.

…

After giving Sai a lesson in Naruto 101, Kaiya caught something out of the corner of her eye, and the others noticed it at almost the same time. The four of them jumped out of the way as several kunai landed where they had been previously standing. They landed a few yards away to find that Kabuto was the culprit.

"It seems you've gotten yourself captured, Sai," the medical ninja noted. "It doesn't appear that you've betrayed us, so I'll trust you…for the moment, that is." He cut the wood in half with his medical ninjutsu, setting Sai free. Naruto immediately formed his Rasengan and attacked Kabuto, who just tossed him aside. Kaiya stretched and cracked her neck, preparing for a fight. She might not be able to take on Orochimaru, but she knew for a fact that she could take on Kabuto, as long as she steered clear of his medical attacks.

"Sasuke isn't the same person you knew back then," Kabuto told Naruto. "You should stop fighting and—" Kaiya flickered in front of him, her fist reared back. Her right fist collided with his left cheek, sending him flying past Sai into the rock formation behind him. The crash created a large crater. Kabuto stumbled out of it, a smile on his face as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth; his glasses were cracked and crooked, and he straightened them out shakily. "Hn. And after I just replaced the ones broken earlier." His smirk widened. "You certainly pack a punch, Kaiya. I'd heard from Lord Orochimaru that you have quite the talent for taijutsu. He certainly wasn't embellishing his claim." Kaiya snarled, pulling out her sword. Kabuto's grin widened, despite his evident pain. "Ah, the blade rumored to turn everything it touches to ash. Though, that didn't seem to work too well the last time."

"You know what they say: try, try again." Kaiya growled, holding up the sword. Kabuto chuckled, unable to help himself.

"My, haven't you grown into quite the hostile one." Her grip tightened on the hilt; her eyebrows sank deeper until they were almost touching. She bared her teeth at Orochimaru's assistant. As far as she was concerned, he was just as guilty as his master for all the pain he'd caused her.

"Shut up!" Kaiya shouted. "Don't act like you know me!" Kabuto's smirk darkened, and he shook his head, shrugging. The large bruise on his cheek didn't seem to bother him.

"You remind me a lot of your brother and sisters. After a while, they did the same thing you're doing—they pretended they were tougher than they really were. But you know what? The cowards are always easy to depict." Kaiya narrowed her eyes in question. "It's the cowards that do more talking than fighting, because they feel they have to defend themselves with words rather than strength. They may have a good hit here and there, but when the mask is stripped away, the truth is—" Kaiya's left fist hit his right cheek—this time harder than before—knocking him to the ground with an 'Oomph!'

"I told you to shut up," Kaiya said in a dangerously low tone. A shadow passed over her eyes. "I'm not a coward. I'm not the one being used as a puppet for a psychopath."

"_Admit it, Kaiya. You're weak. You were always a coward, and you always will be. No time away from the village will change that."_

If that were true, Kuro would have never taken her out of the village to begin with. He wouldn't have wasted his time with her. Despite what the dream said, it was only that—a dream. She didn't give a damn that dreams could reveal something she hadn't known before. She refused to believe it.

The others watched on as Kaiya stood over Kabuto, who began healing his broken jaw. When he was finished, he chuckled again, shaking his head as he pushed himself to his feet. "You are quite strong," he reiterated, dusting his shirt off. "Breaking my jaw like that with one hit…you could have shattered it if you wanted to. But it wouldn't change the fact that you're a fake."

"You bastard. I'm going to make you wish shattering your jaw was the only thing I did, and then, when I'm through killing all of your comrades, I'll come back and finish the job." Kabuto laughed, holding his sides, wiping away a tear dramatically.

"So, you've resorted to that, have you?" he wondered. "But I wonder…what would your friends think of you then? Could you really kill the man you love?"

"My past feelings are none of your damn business!" she roared, grabbing his throat and slamming him against the rock. He let out a pained breath, still managing to laugh at her reaction. She gritted her teeth, squeezing his throat tighter. Breathing heavily, she looked at him heatedly, debating on whether she should kill him right then or not. Her eyes changed from green to gold.

"Kaiya, don't do anything irrational," Yamato warned, taking a step forward with his arm out. He was prepared to restrain her if necessary, per Tsunade's command.

"_There's one more thing before you go, Yamato," Tsunade said. He nodded. "Kaiya Umachi…you know of her, correct?"_

"_Yes," he replied. "Is she coming with us? It's out of protocol to have five team members, M'Lady."_

"_I know that." She frowned, tapping her fingers on her desk impatiently. "She's going to keep an eye on Naruto and Sai, just like you. She hasn't worked with Naruto and Sakura before, but she and Naruto are close, so it should work out just fine. If anything, she can keep him under control. But she still has yet to prove she's trustworthy to operate without supervision. Not only am I sending you on this mission to keep watch over the nine-tails and Sai…I also want you to keep an eye on her. Understand?" He saluted._

"_Yes, Lord Fifth. The real reason you're sending Kaiya on this mission is for me to evaluate her. Is she dangerous?" he wondered. Tsunade sighed, shaking her head, at a loss._

"_At this point, we have no idea just what she's capable of—or how much she's changed. That's why I want you to watch her closely. In the past, Kaiya was a fully trustworthy shinobi. Her father was an honorable man, and I saw her walking in his footsteps. However, after spending three years under Kuro, it's no wonder I've had my doubts. She's been very mysterious since her return, so I want you to make sure that she doesn't do anything irrational. If it comes to that, use whatever force necessary to stop her—just don't kill her. I have a feeling that with Orochimaru and Sasuke involved in this mission, things could go awry; between Naruto and Kaiya, I'm not sure which one is more dangerous. I haven't told her everything about the mission for that specific reason. This is the ultimate test of trust. Consider her a threat if she resists."_

Knowing that if she killed Kabuto then, she wouldn't have a chance to go after Orochimaru and Sasuke, Kaiya resisted the urge to smash Kabuto's head into the rocks and resentfully released his throat, just before he passed out. He stumbled, falling to his knees, heaving heavy breaths as he looked up at her weakly, the same grin still on his face. She sheathed her sword slowly. Her eyes returned to their normal color, and she stepped back until she was standing beside Naruto. Yamato let out a silent breath of relief as he turned to Kabuto, who proceeded to heal himself. When all but his glasses were repaired, he opened his mouth to say something, only to be stopped by Sai.

The latter grabbed his arms and held them back, much to everyone's surprise. "What are you doing?" Kabuto wondered irritably. Sai blinked, lowering his gaze slightly.

"You said that people change…but there are also things that don't change," he stated. "I want to see what these bonds are really made of, if they're as strong as Naruto and Sakura make them sound." After binding Kabuto, the five gathered around him. Kaiya crossed her arms, staring at Kabuto with cold, empty eyes. Naruto glanced at her, wondering what had been running through her mind just now.

_She almost killed him, and with her bare fists…I've never seen her so angry._

Sai was really interested in learning about bonds. After he explained his reasons for betraying Kabuto, the latter chuckled. "The five of you don't really know the real Sasuke," he said, lifting his head. He stared at Kaiya, a smirk sliding across his face. "At least…four out of five don't." Kaiya bit her cheek to keep calm. Yamato frowned.

"Tell us where Sasuke is," he demanded. Kabuto smiled, an evil glint in his eye.

"He should be finished training by now and back in his room. There are quite a few of them throughout the lair. If you end up looking in each as you go, you might find him. Still, I'd be careful if I were you. You might run into a snake too… Lord Orochimaru keeps his quarters in the same area, ya know." Kaiya clenched her fists apprehensively.

"I thank you for being honest." Kabuto shook his head at Yamato's words. He leaned back against the rock wall behind him.

"I wouldn't, if I were you," he remarked. Yamato nodded.

"I see. You want the hunters to become the hunted." The missing-nin nodded.

"Exactly. Although, I am interested on what side Kaiya will end up on." Kabuto shot her a knowing look, to which she closed her eyes, attempting to gain her composure before stepping back inside the lair. She knew what she had to do now. She was going after Sasuke, and no one—not Kabuto, not Yamato, not Naruto or Orochimaru or any of the others—would stop her.

_Your bridges were burned_

_And now it's your turn to cry_

_Cry me a river._


	14. Severed Bonds

**Happy Easter! Thanks for reviews, follows, and favorites.**

**And now for the moment you've all been waiting for...**

**bluefrost15: Well, uh... (- . -)' *sweats vigorously***

_If it wasn't for all that you tried to do_

_I wouldn't know just how capable I am to pull through_

_So I want to say thank you_

'_Cause it makes me that much stronger_

_Makes me work a little bit harder_

_Makes me that much wiser_

_So thanks for making me a fighter._

"We're going to split up into teams to search for Sasuke," Yamato instructed. "Sakura and—"

"Captain Yamato, with all due respect, I'd like to search on my own." Everyone turned to Kaiya in question. She crossed her arms, avoiding their eyes. Yamato searched her, but nothing gave away her intentions.

"And why is that, Kaiya?" The latter sighed.

"I need to clear my head for a while," she confessed. "What happened out there…it's just that this place has me on edge. After so many years, I'm in the belly of the snake. This is a chance of redemption for me, and I…well, I'd just like to be alone. I'll search by myself and meet up with you guys later." Everyone shared looks, glancing back at Kaiya, who wore an unreadable expression on her face. With the aggression she showed earlier with Kabuto, one thing was clear: she meant business. If she was placed on a team with anyone but Naruto, things could get ugly. Even if Yamato himself were her partner, she would surely rebel and lose herself fighting to get to Sasuke and/or Orochimaru. _"Although, I am interested in what side Kaiya will end up on."_ Sighing, the captain shook his head.

"Well, I don't think it's a wise choice," he said. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "However, I think it's a more foolish choice not to let you do what you want. I know that you have enough skill to be safe without a partner, but…I also know that you don't have enough skill to face Orochimaru alone. And no telling about Sasuke." After a pause, he ran his fingers through his hair briefly. Kakashi would kill him if anything happened to her. And Tsunade would kill him if she did anything out of line. But Orochimaru would kill her if he let her face him by herself. He was in a tough position. "Alright, Kaiya. You can work alone, but I'm warning you—if you pull anything, you'll be going back to Konoha as a prisoner. And don't engage Orochimaru under any circumstances. If you happen to cross Sasuke, don't take action alone. Understand?" She nodded. "As for the rest of you… Sakura and I will be on a team, and Naruto and Sai will be together. Sasuke is our priority, got it?" They nodded. "If something happens, focus your chakra. That will be good enough to produce a reaction from the seeds I gave you. Let's go."

…

Kaiya took off down the northern wing, wasting no time as she hustled through the dark hallway. As soon as they'd stepped inside, she could sense the chakra she'd been waiting for—Sasuke's. She knew exactly where he was. _I'm coming for you, you bastard._

It only took a few minutes, but Kaiya could feel Naruto's chakra flaring, and she guessed that he was in some kind of trouble already. Under normal circumstances, she would have turned around immediately and gone back to help him, but this was something she had to do. And she had to do it alone. If the others knew what she was really planning to do…

Kaiya stopped a few feet away from the door she knew belonged to _him_. She took a deep breath, letting her lungs recharge, before she approached the handle, lightly resting her hand on it. _This is it. It's now or never. I have to hurry, before the others catch on. _Before she went in, she spit out Yamato's seed that he'd given her, and she crushed it with her sandal. Opening the door slowly, she peeked through the small crack to see a figure sleeping on a bed in the corner. Her eyes lowered when she caught sight of the Uchiha crest on the collar of his shirt.

This was definitely Sasuke.

Using a new technique she learned from Kuro, Eyes of Reflection, she was able to see in the dark as if it were daytime. She slowly slipped inside the room, shutting the door quietly as she moved toward his bed, silent as a mouse. When she was standing over him, she carefully pulled out a kunai and lifted it above her head, level with his neck. He was still sound asleep. Taking a deep breath, she thrust her arm downward.

Sasuke's arm reached out and grabbed her wrist, holding it firmly in place, an inch from his neck. He hadn't moved a muscle other than that. "Why are you bothering me?" he asked groggily, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Kaiya struggled to free herself, but it was no use. His grip was tight. "Can't you see I'm trying to take a nap?" Kaiya smirked suddenly, chuckling lightly as her hand was released. She took a step backwards, rubbing her wrist thoroughly.

"Hehe…well, I didn't think it was going to be that easy," she admitted with a shrug. "But I would like to know when you became so leisurely…Sasuke." At the sound of the vaguely familiar voice, Sasuke turned his head back to stare at her, still laying down; he couldn't see her in the dark, but he could sense her.

"What are you doing here? Are you planning to fight Orochimaru again?" Kaiya's eyes lowered as she twirled the kunai around her finger.

"Nah. Turns out I still have a lot to learn before I'm ready for that." She looked down. "Actually, I'm here for you." The Uchiha scoffed.

"Tch. Then you're wasting your time. I'm not going back with you idiots." Kaiya chuckled again, still twirling the kunai around her finger. Shaking her head, she let out a sigh, a smile plastered on her face.

"Well, ya see, Sasuke, that's the thing. I'm not here to _rescue_ you. I'm here to _kill_ you." At Kaiya's confession, Sasuke stilled. "Do you remember what I said to you that day—the day you left?" she wondered.

_"I guess I'm just a coward, because even after everything, I…I can't find the courage to kill you. But things won't always be this way. I won't always be this weak."_

"What of it?" Sasuke questioned, uninterested.

"That time has come, Sasuke. I'm ready. Are you?" She stopped spinning the kunai, catching it with her fingers and squeezing it tightly. This time, Sasuke chuckled. His shoulders shook with the action, and his dark voice filled the room that was equally as obscure.

"You have ten seconds to leave, or else you'll regret it," he warned. Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed.

"Hn. I have far too many regrets already, so one more can't do me much harm." He let out a dissatisfied groan.

"You've always been a stubborn pain in the ass. If you insist on not letting me sleep, then I suppose I have no choice." Activating his Sharingan, he stood to his feet lazily, taking his time as he approached her. She stood her ground, even going so far as to let him touch her. He lifted her chin so that he could examine her; there were only a couple inches' difference between them. "You look different," he noted, his eyes lowering, "but still the same." She rolled her eyes.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Sasuke frowned, his eyes meeting hers for a brief moment, before she pulled them away.

"There's chakra in your eyes—not a dojutsu. You're not having any trouble seeing in the dark." Kaiya did her best to keep the gaze of his mesmerizing Sharingan. The pain of seeing them again was almost too much.

"It's a special technique that allows me to see where there's no light," she explained. "Although I almost wish I couldn't see you now." She would never admit it out loud, but he was very handsome—even more so than before. He was taller, of course, more muscular; almost everything was the same, other than having grown with him. And yet, she knew just from looking at him that he wasn't the same. His outward appearance was just a façade that hid the true monster underneath his skin: the avenger within, his true nature. And that made her heart wrench tightly in her chest. The fact that she could still think of him in such a way, even after making her decision to sever their bond…she wondered if she could really go through with it.

"I see. Very interesting. I'm sure Orochimaru would like to study it in one of his labs." He let go of her chin, chuckling to himself. "Your eyes have changed. Other than the new jutsu, that is." When he left, her eyes had been soft, sad. But now, they were hard and bitter, full of resentment and anger. And unlike the last time he saw them, he couldn't tell what she was thinking at the moment. Taking a step back, he turned around. "Why haven't you made a move yet?" he wondered. "Are you having second thoughts about killing me now that I'm awake? Are you having regrets?" Kaiya crossed her arms, rolling her eyes once more.

"Nothing like that," she assured him, her eyes glaring back at him. She stared firmly at her former love interest, her gaze never wavering. "Your team has come a long way to see you after so long, so I'm still debating on whether I should let them see you alive, or if I should just go ahead and deal with you now. Either decision doesn't change the outcome." Sasuke smirked darkly at her response. He started pacing around her, amused when her eyes followed him.

"I'm surprised you're not crying," he taunted, pulling gently at her bangs, playing with the strands of hair fondly. She frowned at his action. "You shed a lot of tears back then." Closing her eyes, Kaiya shook her head, swatting his hand away. He froze, a grin still in place.

"Yeah, I did. But I gave up crying a long time ago. I saw no need for it anymore…especially for lost causes." The room was warm, despite being made of stone and the lack of light, but Kaiya still had goose bumps when Sasuke made contact with any part of her skin. She did her best to hold back a blush; most of it was from shock value, not seeing him for so long. Sasuke, immediately recognizing that she was referring to him, stepped away. Kaiya was able to breathe at last, letting out a silent breath through her nostrils.

"That may be so, but it seems like you haven't let it go yet. Are you still harboring bitterness for me leaving you?" Kaiya bit her lip, clenching her fists as she resisted the urge to yell out everything that she'd felt since that day. She'd done a good enough job keeping them hidden from everyone—including herself. But could she keep them from Sasuke? And for how long?

"I will _never_ forgive you for breaking my heart," Kaiya declared sternly, slashing her arm in front of her as she turned to Sasuke. Her words were bitter, and it was obvious that she held a grudge against him for it; her voice was shaky, like she was holding back much more than she wanted to let on. She had so much more to say, but she knew better than to speak it all. Sasuke's smile had long since faded, and now he stared at her with an undecipherable expression, intently listening to what she was saying to him.

"Even though I struggled for so long trying to accept what you did to me, I finally came to the realization that you never cared, and that helped me move on rather than be crippled by someone like you." Sasuke decided to stare at the floor. "But I have to thank you despite all that, Sasuke." He glanced back up at her in question. "If it weren't for you leaving, I would have never had the courage to do the same. When I left the village, I found the strength to overcome my weaknesses. I finally understand what you meant about severing bonds, and even though I was holding on to ours by a thread, I'm finally ready to let go completely by taking your life. And I'll do it with no regrets." She rested a hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword.

Sasuke couldn't help but stay amused by her front. He knew that it was all just a mask she wore to keep from admitting how she truly felt: betrayed, alone, helpless. He scoffed.

"If you really believed that, Kaiya, then you would've already killed me," he pointed out matter-of-factly. The corner of her lips lifted into a half-smirk; her eyes lowered knowingly.

"I could say the same to you, Sasuke." The latter sneered, grabbing her throat without warning and slamming her against the wall, similar to what she had done to Kabuto before reentering the hideout; she dropped her kunai, and it clattered to the ground with a 'clang'. She let out a strained breath, but it was cut short as he rammed his left arm into her airway, leaning in close to her; their faces were only a couple of inches apart. He reveled in her struggle, smiling ominously as she fought for breath. He leaned his head against hers, causing her to freeze. Before she could attempt to speak, she peered into his spellbinding pupils, which she counted as a grave mistake.

Kaiya stood before Jin's cage, looking around in question at where she ended up. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and she whirled around to see Sasuke standing there, marveling at what he was seeing. Their eyes met, and for a brief second, they were both silent, both awestruck.

"Welcome, Sasuke Uchiha." Jin's voice boomed from the inside of his dark cage. Only the fire from his tails could be seen at this point. The said boy frowned.

"What the hell is this?" he asked, glancing between the cage and Kaiya. "How do you know my name?" Jin's laughs bellowed from within the cage, causing the ground beneath them to shake slightly.

"I know a great deal about you," Jin assured him. "And your brother." Sasuke's fists clenched.

"I don't know if Orochimaru's told you already, but this is Jin—the six-tailed phoenix Legend," Kaiya said, taking it upon herself to explain it to him. Sasuke lifted an eyebrow. "This power is the reason he sought me out and took away my family. A Legend's power is similar to a tailed beast, except our souls are tied together and cannot be separated. We are born together, and we'll die together. We share a life force, boosting each other's strength." Sasuke nodded.

"Hmm…that explains a lot. It's truly remarkable that you've had this in you the entire time. All those times that strange chakra surrounded you, both times we were in the Final Valley."

"_She's very special. She was born with an incredible power, and Orochimaru wants it."_

"_Back then with Itachi, I didn't have the power to stop him. But now, things are different."_

Kaiya stared at him for a few seconds before replying.

"I'm more amazed at the fact that you can enter my subconscious," she noted. Sasuke lowered his eyes. "Even for the Sharingan, that's pretty impressive." She grinned cynically. "Too bad it's so easy to kick you out of here." Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed, but before he could say anything, he was staring at Kaiya, his forehead still against hers. He backed away, his arm still firmly pressed against her throat. His face wrinkled into a snarl. _How did she do that?_ he asked himself.

"Hn. I should've killed you that day. It would have saved me a lot of trouble now." He lessened the force of his arm, only slightly. She sucked in a hurried breath, thankful that she could breathe again, even if only barely. Once she'd caught her breath, she glared at him.

"I feel the same way, believe me." All of a sudden, her firm countenance faltered, and her eyes seemed more familiar as they softened, revealing a sadness that she had kept hidden for two-and-a-half years. Sasuke blinked in confusion. She weakly reached out her arm, stroking his cheek with her hand. He stiffened, his eyes trailing to her hand, but he didn't stop her. "You're not really Sasuke," she whispered, catching him off guard. He narrowed his eyes as his eyebrows creased. "The Sasuke I knew would never try to hurt me…and I'd never try to hurt him. Can't things…just go back to the way they were?" His eyes widened slightly. How her demeanor had all of a sudden changed, with no warning…it took him by surprise. But he wasn't an idiot. He grabbed her wrist, holding it tightly in place on his face before removing it; his eyes trailed behind him when he felt something cold and sharp touch his neck.

A clone was holding a kunai to his throat, a smile on its face. He turned back to the original, who was also smiling. "You and I both know that we're not the same people we were back then," Kaiya told him, her smile fading. Her voice was harsh, her countenance hard. "People change, I guess…and we're two completely different people now than we were as kids." He turned his head to face the clone, taking his arm away from Kaiya's jugular slowly. He turned around quickly—quicker than Kaiya thought was possible—and destroyed it easily, using his free arm. It poofed away in a cloud of smoke, leaving Kaiya and Sasuke alone once more.

Kaiya laughed, shaking her head. "I didn't think it would work, honestly. But it was worth a try." It was only a distraction to get him to remove his arm from her airway. Now that she was free, she used her free hand to grab his free wrist just as tightly, so that they were each holding each other in place. Neither one of them would be able to move unless they released their hold on each other.

Sasuke smirked, shaking his head, clearly amused. Kaiya bowed her head, a frown on her face. She was anything but amused. _From a glance it may seem that we're on equal standing, _she thought. _But it's clear to me that he's only toying with me…but I don't know why. I'm sure I wouldn't like the answer. I shouldn't play around from here on. Time to get down to business._

However, before either one of them could make another move, several black snakes appeared from the shadows of the room, wrapping around both of them tightly. They were forced to let go of each other as the snakes bound their arms to their sides like glue. Kaiya looked around, catching the door open, just enough for someone to look through. At first she thought it might be Orochimaru, but after realizing that the snakes were made of ink, she knew there was only one person who could be responsible.

"Sai…" She frowned, struggling against her binds, taking several steps away from Sasuke as she did so. He stood there, seemingly unconcerned with the situation. If she could, she would have punched him in the face for being so arrogant.

"You again," Sasuke murmured, lowering his eyes. "I thought I told you to get lost. What do you want?" Sai stared at the two of them, and Kaiya couldn't tell what he was thinking. The fact that he held no emotion meant that reading him was next to impossible.

"I'm going…to take you back to Konoha." Kaiya's eyes widened at his confession. From his words during their travels to Tenchi Bridge, it was evident that Sai held no respect whatsoever for the young Uchiha, and he definitely didn't seem like he wanted to take him back to the village. _So what changed?_ Could it have been Naruto? His inspiring words after capturing Kabuto could have triggered a response from the detached boy in front of her now. It was quite possible that Sai had a conscience and a heart after all.

Sasuke, however, didn't like his answer very much. He glared at Sai pointedly, averting his eyes to Kaiya for a quick second, who seemed equally perturbed. She gritted her teeth, still trying to break free. "Sai, I'm glad that you've finally got the stick out of your ass, but I don't see why you had to trap me too." Sai stared at the ground for a few moments. When he looked back up at them, his stupid smile was back in place.

"I originally came here to kill the two of you," he admitted with no shame. Kaiya stopped struggling and stared at him in shock.

"You _what_?!" Her eyebrows furrowed angrily as she waited for him to explain further. The smile faded from his face.

"I want to see if I can protect the bond between you and Naruto that he clings so strongly to," he clarified to them. "So I'm abandoning my mission to assassinate you." He turned to Kaiya. "There are some who fear your secret power, and after being gone so long with Kuro Kensei, they thought it would be best if you were silenced permanently." _By 'they' does he mean Danzo? I know Lady Tsunade wouldn't…_ "Naruto and Sakura have both expressed their feelings towards you as their friend. Naruto seems especially fond of you. And it was also mentioned that you and Sasuke were once close. A moment ago, it appeared as if you two were talking; you were both close together. Are you two joining forces?" Kaiya's eyes widened, and she growled, baring her teeth at the Foundation agent.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Sai?!" she barked. "Do you think I'd be collaborating with my archenemy? Sasuke and I were in the middle of a _fight_, before you interrupted us. Now let me go you idiot, so I can kill him!" Sai blinked, his brows creasing in confusion.

"Kill him?" he repeated. "I thought you were here to save him." Kaiya realized that she had admitted her secret, shutting her mouth quickly. Sasuke chuckled to himself, exchanging glances between the two Leaf ninja.

"The others might have come here to rescue him, but you and I have something in common…we both came here for the same reason. The only way I'm taking him back to Konoha…is in pieces." Kaiya felt a sense of relief, despite herself. She figured it was only a matter of time before the others found out what she intended to do to Sasuke, but she had neglected to tell them for fear they would hate her or lock her up; however, with Sai, she didn't care what he thought or said. If she had to tell somebody her secret other than Kuro, she was glad it was him. She could easily blackmail him after all that had gone on that day. And the others, especially Naruto, would never believe him over her anyway.

"I see…" Sai closed his eyes for a moment, releasing his jutsu from Kaiya. She took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She turned back to Sasuke, who was still smiling. "You realize I can't let you do that, Kaiya." The latter scoffed, crossing her arms. Sai stood to his feet and stepped inside the room. "Naruto and Sakura would never forgive you. And you'd never forgive yourself." She blinked at his words, surprised that he would be so profound.

"You don't know anything about me," she said. "And Naruto…he lives in a daze. He thinks the world can change just by believing it can. He doesn't understand." She looked down guiltily, averting her eyes to Sasuke as she clenched her fists. He remained silent for several moments. "I used to live in that world, too. But after Sasuke left, I woke up from that dream. I'm not a child anymore…I no longer believe in happy endings. We're shinobi. We live and die by the sword. Any happiness or peace we experience in our short lifetimes is momentary. The only certainty is disappointment, pain, and death. That's the reality we live in. Bonds are just another tool used to make us suffer."

"So in the end, you woke me up to talk about bonds?" The young Uchiha scoffed in annoyance. "I thought you were going to kill me, Kaiya." The latter frowned.

"If you insist," she retorted. As she reached for her sword to finally end it, she stopped, just as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The last thing she saw before the explosion was the mocking smile on Sasuke's face.

_It's sad to see that everything we had could all fall away in a moment_

_But you think that this is where it should end_

_If I knew you'd be my enemy_

_I would have never called you friend._


	15. Broken

**Thanks for reviews, follows, and favorites, as always.**

_Falling out of love is hard, falling for betrayal is worse_

_Broken trust and broken hearts, I know_

_Thinking all you need is there_

_Building faith on love and words, empty promises will wear_

_I know._

Kaiya turned to Sai, who commended Sasuke for being able to counter his jutsu. His right eye was swollen and he had a few scrapes and bruises, but other than that he avoided injury. As for Kaiya, the gash on her left arm spoke for itself; she winced, covering her wound with the opposite hand as she averted her eyes from Sai to the top of the crater Sasuke had created. Her leg had been sliced open as well, and she crumbled to her knees, despite doing her best to fight the pain and stay standing. A large piece of metal had cut her leg in the detonation, and some of the blast had caught her arm, though she managed to escape the worst of it.

Before anything could be said, Sakura appeared, grasping Sai's neck. "Just what the hell are you after?!" she shouted. "And what did you do to Kaiya? She's hurt!" The latter frowned, opening her mouth to tell Sakura that Sai wasn't responsible for the explosion or her injuries, but before she could, Sasuke spoke.

"So it's you, Sakura…" At hearing her name, the medical ninja paused, slowly turning to face where she heard it. _That voice…_ She absentmindedly let go of Sai's collar when she caught sight of the silhouette standing above them. Yamato and Naruto saw her from inside the hallway, their eyes widening at her expression. Kaiya lowered her eyes to the ground, clenching the dirt of the crumbled debris in her fists. She continued to bleed.

"S-Sasuke…?" Naruto's eyebrows furrowed, and he and Yamato took off, stumbling outside to the others. They followed Sakura's gaze, startled by the boy staring back at them with an apathetic countenance.

Team 7 stared at each other, after not being together for almost three years.

"So you came too, Naruto," Sasuke noticed. "Does that mean Kakashi's nearby?" He glanced around, waiting for the silver-headed Jonin to make his appearance. Yamato glanced up.

"I'm afraid Kakashi couldn't make it. I'm here in his place. As Team Kakashi, we'll be taking you back to Konoha." Sasuke scoffed, glancing at Kaiya sternly.

"Team Kakashi?" he repeated. His voice and expression made it clear that he had no interest in his former comrades or why they were there. He hardly reacted to seeing them again. He explained to the others that Sai had admitted he wanted to protect the bonds he had with Naruto, letting them know that Sai wasn't a traitor after all. "So why is Kaiya with you? I could understand her being my replacement for 'Team Kakashi', but Kakashi's not even here. And then there's that guy." He was referring to Sai.

Taking a deep breath, Kaiya pushed herself to her feet, feeling the pain of her wounds severely, but she knew adrenaline would soon kick in, and she wouldn't even notice it. She gritted her teeth, sweat dripping down her brow. The pain was sharp, like kunai were digging relentlessly into her skin. It was almost unbearable.

Almost.

She laughed to take her mind off of the pain, a small smile on her lips as she explained: "Lady Tsunade put me on Team Kakashi as punishment. I was forced to return to Konoha, and if I leave again I'll be running for the rest of my life as a rogue ninja. That's why I'm here. Surprise." She narrowed her eyes, daring him to mention what happened in his room. He knew very well that she was acting outside of orders; he also knew that the others wouldn't approve of her true intentions and would do all they could to stop her. They might even see her as a traitor.

"Hn." He turned his attention to Naruto, who had stood next to Kaiya to make sure she was alright. "I severed my bonds with all of you because I knew what they meant," he told them. "Now, the only bonds I carry…are bonds of hatred for my brother." Kaiya glared up at him, while everyone seemed shocked. "Having too many bonds results in a loss of focus. It weakens their strongest wish, their greatest desire."

"No, that's not—"

"If you don't believe me, ask Kaiya. She left the village for the same reason, didn't she?" They all looked at her, to which she frowned in question. She snarled at Sasuke, refusing to meet anyone's gaze but his. Shaking, memories of their fight in the Final Valley came to mind, and Naruto stepped away from Kaiya and closer to Sasuke.

"If that's true, then why didn't you kill me that day?!" he shouted up at his former teammate. "Is that what you call severing bonds?!" Sasuke's eyes lowered slightly.

"It's not that I couldn't…I just simply didn't want to give _him_ the pleasure of seeing me gain power his way." Sasuke refused to tell Naruto anymore, other than he had barely spared his life. All of a sudden, he appeared in front of the blonde, a hand on his shoulder. Kaiya's eyes widened as sweat dripped down her brow in bullets.

_That speed…I didn't even blink. If he's that fast without even trying, then he's faster than me, even at my best._ It was true that Kaiya had gotten even faster than she was before, naturally. In fact, she was almost as fast as Sasuke. But at the moment she was injured, which would slow down her movements. If that were the case, she might have to use Jin's powers if she wanted to take him out.

As soon as Sasuke pulled out his sword, Kaiya leapt at him. Sai managed to get to him before her, blocking Sasuke's attack. Naruto took the opportunity to throw himself over Sasuke's arm at almost the same moment. Yamato also joined in, just as Sasuke activated his Sharingan. Kaiya arrived shortly after, right as a familiar blue light caught her eye. She slid to a stop, but not before being engulfed in what appeared to be— _Chidori?!_ Naruto and Sai dropped to the ground like flies, while Kaiya fell flat on her face, right in front of the former Leaf shinobi she had once loved.

_He took Kakashi's jutsu to a completely new level…incredible._ She felt like she was lifting a sack of bricks with her neck as she raised her head shakily. Breathing heavily, she and Sasuke made eye contact before he reached down, taking her by the collar. He pulled her to her feet slowly; her legs trembled as she did her best to keep her footing. _Sasuke…you're not even trying. Maybe I'm not ready to face you after all._

Sasuke studied Kaiya meticulously as she glared at him. To him, it appeared as if she hadn't changed at all. She was still weak, still unable to fight him. He knew she was all talk. He knew she wouldn't be able to hurt him. He stared at her frigidly, unwanted memories of them together flooding his mind. Not that they had ever left.

No, he didn't care. Not anymore. She was his past, and he would erase her completely. He didn't want to think about her anymore. She meant nothing to him.

_"I didn't think I'd ever be able to trust anyone again after I was abandoned by that person, but Kakashi and several others helped me realize…love is always given a second chance. When you think those bonds have been lost, they've really just been reincarnated into someone else. You just have to have faith and believe that it's there. I was just thinking…that you and I were similar. We both feel the same pain… We've been forced to suffer for something that wasn't our fault. We're forced to carry the overbearing weight of regret on our shoulders. You and I…we both share the same burden of pain."_

No. That wasn't true. They weren't the same. She could never know what he felt.

_"And Kaiya… I'm glad you and I share the same pain…I'm glad you understand me." _

Stop.

_"You're the only one I feel can understand what I'm thinking and feeling. You're the only one that can read me. And because of that, I don't want to just walk away from this friendship—or whatever you call it."_

Go away.

_"If I lost you…I'd lose everything. You're the only one alive that I couldn't stand losing more than anything in the world. I wasn't strong enough to protect you, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise to you. I said I had your back, and I let you…"_

_ "You know, Sasuke, I…I didn't realize how I felt about you. I was confused, because I'd never felt that way about anyone else. I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but hearing what you said gave me courage to admit to you that I…I feel the same way about you."_

Damn it, why wouldn't the memories stop?!

_"You're special to me, Sasuke. I care about you, and as long as you have this necklace, I'll know that you care about me too. I want you to have it so that we'll never forget what we told each other… I'll always have your back, Sasuke. Even after these exams, and then until the day I die… I won't ever leave you, Sasuke…ever."_

Kaiya could see them too. They made her heart ache, her head pulse. They were just too painful.

_"I…I don't know if I can have my heart broken a second time, Sasuke. I loved Itachi, and…I love you. Please, don't make me feel that pain again. I'm tired of losing people I love."_

Shut. Up.

_"I know I'm an idiot, but…I'd be suffering if you left, Sasuke. I'd rather be dead than have you turn your back on me forever. I can't live without you. I can't."_

_ "If that's the case, then you should just forget about me, because I intend to forget about you. I have to walk this path on my own. This…this is our fate."_

_ "Sasuke, please stop! Don't walk away from me, damn it!"_

_ "Kaiya…do you remember the discussion we had on the cliff, when we watched the sunrise?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "You said then that if you were going to get in way of my goal, we shouldn't be together. That time has come: the time for us to separate. Every moment that I spent with you here this past year…I don't regret any of it. But even so…I need more power, and you're a distraction. Kaiya, you're someone I could love, and that's why I have to walk away from you. I need only hatred to reach my goal."_

The back of her eyes burned as she felt what should have been tears. But she didn't cry. She'd already made it clear—those days were over.

_"I guess I'm just a coward, because even after everything, I…I can't find the courage to kill you. But things won't always be this way. I won't always be this weak."_

_ "…"_

_ "You broke my heart, Sasuke."_

_ "I know."_

_ "Be honest…did I—_us_—did that mean anything to you?"_

_ "In order for me to gain more power, I must completely sever our bond. I can't dwell on things like 'us'. None of that matters now—no matter what I felt before."_

_ "Is there a chance that we could ever be together again?"_

_ "Kaiya…I'm not coming back to Konoha. Maybe the day will come when that can happen, but…never again in this village. You, Naruto, and all of the Leaf—you're all part of my past now. I have to let you go."_

Why couldn't they just leave her alone?

_"I want you to be happy and love someone who will take care of you. I'm not that person…I'll never love you in return. Thank you…for being my friend."_

It wasn't worth it. None of it was worth the pain it caused in the end. She hated him for breaking her heart. He hated her for distracting him from his goal of vengeance. The bonds they once held so dearly had been cut, and they could never be mended.

Kaiya gritted her teeth as Sasuke held his sword to Kaiya's throat. His expression was hard to read as his eyebrows furrowed. Kaiya kept his gaze the whole time, proving to him that she wasn't afraid. Before he could do anything, however, Sakura decided that she would join the fight. Sasuke glanced at her unconcernedly, moving the blade away from Kaiya's neck in order to use it against her; it ignited with Chidori, making Kaiya's eyes widen. But before Sakura came in range of his weapon, Yamato jumped in front of her. He tried to use a kunai to deflect Sasuke's blade, but it broke in two, as if it were glass.

Sasuke stabbed Yamato, shoving him into a large piece of the wall that had crumbled in the explosion. Kaiya growled, her eyes glinting with anger towards the young Uchiha. "You bastard," she murmured, taking hold of his wrist that held her collar. He frowned.

"Shut up," he demanded, tossing her to the ground harshly. She stifled a cry of pain, grasping her leg tightly. Blood seeped through her fingers, dripping onto the dirt beneath her as she writhed from the sharp throbbing that ensued. With Sasuke's sword still inside Yamato, Naruto lifted his head, revealing the eyes of the nine-tails; he had claws and fangs, and his whiskers thickened. He and Sasuke made eye contact for a split second, and all of a sudden, the blonde's demon fox characteristics vanished. Sasuke averted his eyes to Kaiya. _He has a secret power inside of him too…just like her. Is that why they're so close? No…she didn't know about herself back then. If so, she would've known that Orochimaru was after her. A coincidence?_ Naruto scrambled to his feet, and with Sasuke distracted, Yamato used that moment as his chance to remove the sword from his chest, surprising Sasuke.

He stumbled back, and Kaiya took this opportunity to act. She jumped up and spun on the ground, knocking Sasuke off balance with her feet. He caught himself, flipping over to the other side, sliding in the dirt to a stop. His eyes lowered as he watched Kaiya stand, a new look of determination appearing in her eyes.

"Let's end this already." She made hand seals that Sasuke followed in confusion. _Fire style? No, not exactly… Earth? No._ His eyes widened. _A combination!_ "Lava Style: Volcanic Prison!" She pursed her lips and blew, and lava spewed from her mouth, red and hot. Yamato, Sai, Sakura, and Naruto all jumped back in awe.

"Since when could Kaiya—"

Sasuke retreated back as the magma neared him, knowing would happen if he was caught in it. He could have jumped to the top of the crater, but he was just having too much fun with Kaiya and the others. And besides…he wanted to get rid of them. _All_ of them. Though he managed to escape the lava, part of his pants had been singed. He'd been _that _close to being deep fried into a hard shell of molten rock, a trophy for Kaiya to boast. She smiled, stepping forward. She had seen the alert in his eyes as he scrambled to escape her jutsu.

"We're just getting started, Sasuke," she said, making more hand seals. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke's eyes widened slightly as he hid behind a piece of wall large enough to shield his entire body from the intense flames. The flames were so powerful, his shield almost crumbled.

_How the hell does she know that jutsu?_ Sasuke asked himself as it faded.

_"Your brother used to train me."_ Hmm. That had to be it. She had never told him that Itachi taught her their clan's signature jutsu, although he should have guessed. Before Sasuke could continue thinking on the subject, Kaiya appeared next to him, fist reared back, ready to punch him. It took no effort for him to move out of the way, and he watched as her fist collided with the wall, breaking it to pieces. He blinked. _She's able to shatter concrete with her bare hands. Impressive. Her true strength is starting to show now._

"Looks like you learned a few tricks, Kaiya," he taunted. "Let's see what else you can do." Kaiya scoffed as she rested her hand on the hilt of her sheathed sword. Sasuke smirked as she did so.

"Let's back her up," Yamato suggested to the team. Kaiya declined his offer, keeping her focus on Sasuke.

"No!" she warned, and they froze. "I don't want your help." In a low voice she added, "He's mine." She launched herself in the air, her leg raised high above her head. Sasuke put away his sword, blocking her kick as her leg came down. The force was so great, the earth crumbled beneath him. He grabbed Kaiya's foot, tossing her to the side. She quickly caught herself, sliding to a stop, wasting no time attacking again.

The two engaged in taijutsu for a couple of minutes, proving that they had both been aptly trained in the past couple of years. They were so fast, the others could hardly follow. However, Sasuke saw that she had slower reflexes on her left side due to her injuries, and so he took advantage of that by elbowing her in her ribs on that same side, sending her flying into the side of the crater. She fell forward, falling on her feet as she stumbled, catching herself before she fell. Once again, she rested her hand on her sword's hilt, this time intending to use it.

_Get laid out, or I'm gonna lay you out_

_Stay down, or I'm gonna keep you down_

_I want it to break, I want it to bark_

_I want to bury you until it hurts_

_And I'll take, I don't ask_

_This breath will be your last_

_Do you feel the collapse._


	16. It's Not Over

**First, I would like to apologize for taking so long to u****pdate. This has been the busiest semester, but it's finally over and now I can enjoy the summer. Well, kind of. I need to find a job soon. Anyway, I hope to be updating a lot more frequently now that I don't have so much going on. Secondly, I would like to thank all favorites, follows, and reviews. As always, I appreciate the support. Keep being awesome :)**

**AlphaGirl1711: You don't know how much that means to me! And that is the end goal ;)**

**Musketeer12: DUDE! I listened to the song, and you are absolutely right! I can totally see it. So in honor of your great discovery, the opening lyrics are from that song;) **

_Would you mind if I killed you_

_Would you mind if I tried to_

'_Cause you have turned into my worst enemy_

_You carry hate that I don't feel_

_It's over now_

_What have you done._

Kaiya pulled out her sword, proudly revealing the metallic, black blade as it shimmered in the sunlight. Sasuke studied it, never seeing something quite like it. Kaiya didn't say anything at this point, breathing heavily as blood dripped from her fresh wounds. She couldn't feel it because of the adrenaline, but she would surely feel the pain later. She charged, and the sword fight began. Kaiya thrust her sword upward, just to have Sasuke block it by pushing his blade downward onto hers. As the metal of their swords collided, the clangs echoed throughout the crater.

Something wasn't right. Sasuke's sword couldn't be blocked, and yet Kaiya was doing just that. He could tell right away that she held no ordinary sword. But just what was so special about it other than its color?

In kenjutsu, they seemed to be equally matched. Kaiya was thankful that Kuro had spent a large amount of time teaching her to wield a sword. She finally managed to cut his cheek, Kurokaji's sharp blade slicing through his skin cleanly. He stared at the blood dripping onto the ground, his anger boiling inside of him like a geyser. "Damn you," he said quietly, trying his best to keep his nonchalant expression. Kaiya smirked.

"Frustrated that my sword can block yours?" she teased. His brows furrowed. "I'm sure you've figured out by now that just like Kusanagi, Kurokaji isn't your average blade. It can defend against something like your sword, which supposedly can't be blocked. It's made from a special metal that manifests chakra nature. If I wanted to, I could turn you into ash." She spoke softly so that the others couldn't hear her. But the threat was evident in her voice. Sasuke remained silent, wiping the blood from his face; a thin line smeared on his cheek. He raised his sword again, and they continued to clash.

Sasuke tried to push her back with his sword against hers, but she had surprisingly good footing. She gritted her teeth, their blades now sparking with the force they were using against each other. He even channeled Chidori into his sword, but Kurokaji absorbed it. Naruto clenched his fists, following the fierce battle tensely, wanting to jump in. But he knew that if he did that, he'd only get in the way. Still, it was almost like they wanted to kill each other. He understood that Sasuke wouldn't hold back against Kaiya, but she was fighting like she had just as much killing intent as he did. But Naruto knew that Kaiya cared about Sasuke more than anything, and wouldn't really want to kill him.

Right?

Sai's eyes lowered as he observed Naruto watching Kaiya and Sasuke.

"_The others might have come here to rescue him, but you and I have something in common…we both came here for the same reason. The only way I'm taking him back to Konoha…is in pieces." _

"_You realize I can't let you do that, Kaiya. Naruto and Sakura would never forgive you. And you'd never forgive yourself." _

"_You don't know anything about me. And Naruto…he lives in a daze. He thinks the world can change just by believing it can. He doesn't understand. I used to live in that world, too. But after Sasuke left, I woke up from that dream. I'm not a child anymore…I no longer believe in happy endings. We're shinobi. We live and die by the sword. Any happiness or peace we experience in our short lifetimes are momentary. The only certainty is disappointment, pain, death. That's the reality we live in. Bonds are just another tool used to make us suffer."_

This wasn't going to end well if they continued to fight with so much ferocity. Not for any of them.

Sweat dripped down Yamato's brow. It appeared that neither one of them was letting up anytime soon, and if he allowed the fight to continue, one of them would end up killing the other. He didn't want to jump in. With the way they were fighting, they'd most likely just go right through him to get to the other; and they were both so fast. What the hell did they do to each other?

"_I have a feeling that with Orochimaru and Sasuke involved in this mission, things could go awry; between Naruto and Kaiya, I'm not sure which one is more dangerous. I haven't told her everything about the mission for that specific reason. This is the ultimate test of trust. Consider her a threat if she resists."_

How would Naruto react if he did something that caused her harm? Tsunade said they were close. But just how close? Luckily for him, he didn't have to do anything. At that moment, Sasuke had pushed Kaiya enough to wear her out, thanks to her injuries and blind rage, and knocked her off balance. He kicked her in the torso, knocking the breath out of her. She wheezed, dropping her sword to grab her stomach. It clattered to the ground, and she soon followed.

She crumbled to her knees, leaning forward to rest her head on the dirt. She tasted a familiar metal tang on her tongue as blood slid down the corner of her mouth. She fought for air, desperately gasping in order to catch her breath. It was over now. She couldn't go any longer, unless she wanted to use Jin. It was tempting, but she didn't want the others to see her true power, along with the fact that she was so desperate to use it, that she was so desperate to end him. To add on to that, she didn't want Sasuke to see that she couldn't defeat him with her own strength.

Sasuke took his sword and held it over Kaiya's back, once again igniting it with lightning. She looked up when he hesitated, sweat dribbling down her forehead.

"Do it, you bastard. It's not the first time you've stabbed me in the back." She closed her eyes and bowed her head. Sasuke's gaze lowered, and he thrust the sword downward. But he suddenly stopped as a flash of orange and black evaded his path.

"Don't do it, Sasuke." The latter lowered his sword slightly at the blonde's command, a humorous smirk appearing on his face; the lightning died down. With his arms outstretched, Naruto glared at his former teammate and friend.

"You always want to be the hero, Naruto," Sasuke stated. "You should just let her die." Kaiya's eyes shot open, and she looked up to see Naruto standing over her, his back to her face. She leaned backwards, scrambling a couple of feet away from the two boys. She frowned.

"What the hell are you doing, Naruto?" she snapped heatedly. "I thought I said I didn't need your help." He glanced behind him, giving her a knowing look before turning back to Sasuke.

"I never go back on my word," was his only reply. Her eyes widened.

"_Kaiya, I promise…I won't ever hurt you again. I'll spend my entire life protecting you—with my own strength."_

Sasuke and Naruto continued to glare at each other for a few seconds, before Naruto spoke to him again. "You and Kaiya used to be good friends. You protected each other, no matter what. And now you're willing to kill her, just like that?" He clenched his fists. His voice was calm at first, but the intensity behind his words was evident. "All that you've been through together—all that _we've_ been through—how can you just ignore all of it? How can you say I should just let he die?!" His voice rose with every word. Sasuke growled, lowering his head to stare at Kaiya distastefully as she stared up at him from the ground with the same expression.

"I don't know how I could make myself any clearer. When I left the village, I left behind all of you—especially Kaiya. It doesn't matter what we were before." Kaiya pushed herself to her feet slowly, letting out a shaky breath as she did so.

"To hell with him, Naruto," she said breathlessly. He turned back at her in surprise. "To hell with the bonds that we once had with him. If he wants them severed, then I'll gladly give him his wish." Her pupils turned gold, and the dragon appeared on her right forearm. Both Sasuke's and Naruto's eyes widened. "Get out of the way, Naruto." She sounded cold and empty, not like herself at all. Sakura blinked. She, along with Naruto, was still unaware that Kaiya was the host of a Legend. They had no earthly clue what they were in the first place. Jin's chakra began seeping through her skin, swirling around her like a whirlwind; her hair swayed in the windstorm it created. Naruto and Sasuke jumped back—Naruto to the rest of the team, and Sasuke on the opposite side.

"That looks just like…" Sakura's eyes averted to Naruto, who was equally as mesmerized. She knew he had to be thinking the same thing: Kaiya's power looked a lot like his. _What…what is this?!_

The ground beneath Kaiya's feet began to crumble from the weight of the chakra she was emitting. Kuro had told her countless times that using this much power at once was dangerous. If she wasn't careful, so much of Jin's chakra could leak through her at once that it could end up damaging her body, maybe permanently. But at this point, she didn't care. She just wanted him dead. She wanted him to feel pain like she had felt pain.

Naruto had been shocked at Kaiya's last words. To him, it sounded like she _wanted_ to kill Sasuke. And her releasing such great power… There was no doubt about her intentions now. This entire time, she'd been fighting to take his life after all. But he wouldn't let her. _Kaiya…_

Kaiya lifted her hand, and chakra swirled around Sasuke, trapping him within a sphere. His eyes lowered as he remembered the last time she'd done this. She let him go then, but it didn't look like he was getting off as easily this time. He'd have to use more power, or else he was done for. Before Sasuke decided on a way to escape, the chakra suddenly vanished. He looked over at Kaiya, who was staring straight forward in disbelief. Her eyebrow twitched, and beads of sweat slid down the sides of her face. Her eyes had returned to their normal color, and the dragon mark on her arm had disappeared.

Naruto stood, his back to Sasuke, holding Kaiya's arm in place. His grip tightened just enough for her to realize that he meant business. If she so much as thought of killing Sasuke again, he would have no choice but to act. He knew what she was trying to do, and he wouldn't stand for it. But that's not what shocked Kaiya. It was the fact that Naruto was able to nullify Jin's powers with just a touch of his hand.

"Naruto…" Kaiya whispered, her hand resentfully going limp. Naruto placed her arm back at her side, turning around to face Sasuke. The latter started to say something, but Yamato wasn't going to give him the chance. He tried entrapping him inside a wooden dome, but Sasuke burst out of it with no trouble, finally deciding that he'd had enough. He jumped to the top of the crater, putting away his sword. He glared down at them with contempt, his gaze once again drifting to Kaiya. _She was serious this time…so she's not the same after all._

Naruto tried to reason with him, but it was no use. He didn't even care that Orochimaru was planning on stealing his body. As long as he got his revenge, it didn't matter. Deciding that he was through with all of them, he was about to finish it when Orochimaru appeared and grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"Now, now, Sasuke…there's no need for _that_ jutsu," he scolded. Sasuke frowned. "After all, I've gone through a lot to procure Kaiya and her power. Not to mention that we still have use for the others." He smirked. The fifteen-year-old boy scoffed. Kaiya snarled as she looked up at the two of them. She watched as Kabuto managed to convince Sasuke, just barely, to back out of the fight and leave Team Kakashi alone.

"This isn't over," she promised them. Orochimaru chuckled.

"You're absolutely right, Kaiya. It's not." They disappeared in flames, Kaiya and Sasuke sharing one more look before they were gone.

Naruto dropped to the ground, clearly disappointed that he wasn't able to do anything. And then he began to cry. Kaiya's eyes widened, looking back at the blonde in surprise. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him shed tears, but it had been a long time ago. She approached him slowly. She kneeled down next to him, hesitantly resting a hand on his shoulder. He glanced up at her, confusion and betrayal evident in his eyes.

"Why would you try to…?" He sniffled, staring at the ground. Sighing, Kaiya knew he wouldn't understand, no matter how plain she put it. So she decided to do the only thing she could at the moment: lie.

"I guess I was so angry at him for leaving that I snapped," she admitted. "But Sasuke was right—I abandoned the people I care about because I thought you were all distractions. I did the same thing he did. I'm no better than him, no matter how much I want to believe that I am." Naruto blinked, as the others looked at her in confusion. Sai's eyes lowered in question. He knew right away that she wasn't telling the truth. But he also knew that Kaiya was lying to protect Naruto's feelings. "I left all of you without any explanation, and I did all I could to keep from returning home. Even after coming back, I didn't want to face the truth. In the back of my mind, I knew that I'd hurt everyone, but I tried not to think about it, because I didn't want to blame myself. So I blamed Sasuke."

Kaiya averted her eyes, doing her best to sound as sincere as possible. "I just wanted to get him back for hurting me. I wasn't thinking straight, and I let my feelings get ahead of the mission. I know your feelings concerning Sasuke, Naruto, and I let my selfishness get in the way. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." Though it wasn't a complete lie, Kaiya failed to mention that she had planned from the beginning to kill Sasuke, and that she hated him more than anything for abandoning her. She knew that Naruto wouldn't ask any questions if she sounded earnest enough. Taking all that into consideration, her apology was real. She was sorry that she couldn't honor Naruto's wish to save Sasuke, because she knew that he couldn't be saved.

But she would never tell him that.

Naruto blinked, sitting up slowly. He rested his hand on top of hers, still on his shoulder. He stared into her eyes, his cerulean pupils searching her intently for any sign of deceit. He found none. Kaiya smiled, lowering her eyes to his chest, where his necklace had been ripped off. "Besides, Naruto…" She held out her other palm, revealing the pendant as she placed it in his hand slowly. "Crying isn't going to bring him back. Take that from someone who knows." He took the necklace, nodding his head, a small smile on his face. Sakura, with tears in her own eyes, nodded.

"Kaiya's right," she agreed. "We'll get stronger together." Kaiya closed her eyes for a moment, biting her lip. She hated having to lie to them. But she'd hate to break their hearts even more. She'd already done that once, and she was determined not to do that again. At least not anytime soon.

"There's still about six months before Orochimaru takes action," Sai pointed out. "And three is better than two." He smiled. "I've already got quite a bit of strength myself, you know. And with Kaiya, four is even better than three." He smiled. Kaiya knew that he knew, but he was willing to go along with her lie. But for what reason, she couldn't say.

"Yeah." She grinned as Naruto stood to his feet slowly, helping Kaiya to hers. Yamato let out a silent breath of relief.

"Alright, you four. Let's go."

_I swear I never meant to let it die_

_I just don't care about you anymore_

_It's not fair when you say that I didn't try_

_I just don't care about you anymore._


	17. Untitled

**Hola... So, I kind of totally forgot about this story...yeah. So, thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites.**

**AlphaGirl1711: Thank you so much for your reviews! You actually motivated me to update haha. So in later chapters, I do have something in Sasuke's POV...kind of (since it is a third person story lol). I'm sorry that you are confused but those bits should clear things up when they appear :) The short version: Basically, she was a distraction. But you'll learn why soon.**

_Do I want these choices to define me_

_Or can I find a way back to myself_

_I can't remember a time when I still held my pride_

_It's been so long since I've felt the light behind my eyes._

"Kaiya, I'd like to speak with you alone if you don't mind." After Team Kakashi's mission brief, Tsunade sent the others out, leaving her with Kaiya. She looked down at the Hokage's desk.

"I know you told Yamato to keep an eye on me," she stated, before the Fifth said anything. "And I know that he's going to report to you what happened later on in greater detail. I don't know what you'll think of me afterwards, but I want you to know that I did what I had to do, whether or not you or the others on the team realize it." Tsunade sighed, closing her eyes as she folded her hands.

"To tell you the truth, I would have preferred Kakashi keep an eye on you instead of Yamato, but he's out of commission for right now. You would have trusted him a lot more, I'm sure." Kaiya nodded, not sure what she was getting at. "I don't know what all Kuro taught you these past couple of years, but I know that you came back to the village a changed person, Kaiya. The reason I had Yamato watch you was because I don't know what kind of person that is. I haven't decided whether or not you're too dangerous to be trusted." The latter's eyebrows furrowed in question. "I was hoping that by spending time with Naruto and Kakashi and the rest of your old comrades, you'd return to the person you were before you left. But I'm afraid I was naïve to think that it would be that easy."

"With all due respect, Lady Tsunade, I'm exhausted from the mission, and I was planning on seeing Kakashi," Kaiya told her. "You're right in making the assumption that I'm not the same person, but one thing that hasn't changed is that I will die protecting this village and my comrades. I'm not a danger to anyone here. That's one thing you don't have to worry about."

She crossed her arms, a light smile on her face. Tsunade chuckled lightly, shaking her head.

"Alright, alright." Letting out another sigh, she leaned back in her chair. "I'm taking you off Team Kakashi. This mission was a test for you, and even though the details are sketchy, you did well enough to pass." Kaiya nodded. "I'll put you in where you're needed until there's a permanent spot for you somewhere. In the meantime, your apartment is ready. You'll be next to Kakashi; he'll still be able to keep an eye on you, but you'll have your own place. We'll discuss your future in detail after Yamato's report. Until then, get some rest."

…

"It was a stretch giving her a place of her own, don't you think, M'Lady?" Shizune asked, holding Tonton as they watched Kaiya head to the hospital. Tsunade shrugged, crossing her arms.

"I don't really know, Shizune," she admitted. "I'm hoping that this will give her a chance to integrate herself back to life in the village. Although, I'm still waiting on Yamato's full report from the mission. They encountered both Orochimaru and Sasuke, and from what I hear, it was intense. And even though she tried to hide it, I could see the toll it took on Kaiya. She didn't seem as determined as the others to get Sasuke back. Maybe it's because he broke her heart and she hates him. Or maybe it's something else. Maybe Kuro finally got through to her. I know how he hates the Uchiha clan. It wouldn't surprise me if he convinced Kaiya to feel the same. She was betrayed by them too, after all." Shizune stared at Kaiya's fading figure.

"You didn't tell her about Kuro, did you?" Tsunade turned away from the window and back to her desk, frowning.

"Either she knows about his disappearance, or she has too much on her mind to think about him at the moment. I figure if it's the latter, she'll ask about him eventually. Right now, she doesn't need the stress on top of everything else."

Kaiya walked into the hospital exhausted, barely able to stand. She couldn't wait until she made it to Kakashi's room so she could crash. She walked into his room to see him reading one of his perverted books. He glanced up as soon as the door opened, grinning as he caught sight of her. "Well, look who it is." _From the looks of things, their mission was pretty rough._

"Hey, Copycat," she greeted wearily, rubbing her neck as she looked away. "I thought I'd keep you company tonight, if you don't mind." Kakashi shook his head, moving over as much as he could so that she could sit next to him. She made herself comfortable, lying flat on her back and staring up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes. "So how much longer until you're out of this prison?" Kakashi sighed.

"Well, not too much longer, I hope. How did the mission go?" Kaiya opened her eyes, sitting up slowly. She stared at the white sheets covering Kakashi, a somber expression on her face. She wasn't sure if she could tell even him the truth.

"I've still got a long way to go if I want to be any real threat to someone like Orochimaru," she admitted. Kakashi's eye lowered. "And as far as Sasuke's concerned, well…let's just say that wasn't exactly the reunion I was hoping for." Kakashi weakly wrapped his arm around Kaiya's shoulder, pulling her into his chest. Her eyes widened slightly, surprised. He used to put his arm around her all the time to comfort her. And it did just that, after not being around him in so long. She missed it.

"On the bright side, at least you know what Orochimaru looks like now; there's no more mystery. And since you've seen how far Sasuke has come, you know what you have to do in order to surpass him." Kaiya leaned her head against his chest, closing her eyes.

"You're right, Kakashi," she said sleepily. "I'll work on that…tomorrow." The mission took a lot out of her, and it only took a few seconds after that for her to fall asleep. Kakashi grinned, laying her down in her previous spot, returning to his book. _I know you'll get there. Just don't give up._

The next day, Kaiya was sent to her new apartment, where she could finally take a shower. She also bought new clothes, because the ones Yoshi and Haru had given her were now in rags. While sitting at the table eating lunch, she felt a familiar presence in the room. Her eyes widened slightly, and she turned to look behind her. Letting out a breath of relief, she smirked.

"It's dangerous for you to show your face around here, ya know," she said, turning back to her cupped ramen. "They're watching me." She heard a scoff.

"What did I tell you about eating that trash?" Kuro crossed his arms, letting out a frustrated sigh. "After almost three years, you shouldn't even have an appetite for such disgusting things." Kaiya rolled her eyes, making sure to slurp loudly to irritate her trainer as much as possible. His eye twitched. "So, how was the mission?" he asked. Kaiya stopped eating, staring at her ramen distastefully.

"I…I didn't think he would be so strong," she confessed. Letting out a brief sigh, she bowed her head in shame. Kuro's eyes narrowed. "He just wouldn't die. And even when I used Jin, I couldn't even get close to defeating him. And then Sasuke… Naruto stopped me. I can't do it in front of him. He'd hate me forever." Standing to his feet, Kuro crossed his arms, staring out the window thoughtfully.

"It's unfortunate that you had to face him before you were ready—both of them. But at least now you know what needs to be done." He tapped his biceps, immersed in his thoughts. "As for the man I want to train you from here on out, it will be a while before he contacts you—if he agrees, that is. So you'll be on your own." Kaiya lifted her head, turning her body towards Kuro.

"Who is it?" He ignored her, straightening out his blank forehead protector. She frowned in irritation.

"I'm heading to the Land of Valleys. I'll send word to you through Kido after I've arrived," he told her. "Until then, continue training; don't slack off. I'd hate for you to get rusty." He paused, glancing back at her. "And stop eating that junk." She smiled, sticking out her tongue when he turned away. "I'll be following your movements, so make sure to report to Kido regularly." She nodded.

"Right. Good luck, Kuro-sensei." He smirked, saluting as he began to melt into the shadows.

"Good luck to you too, Kaiya."

When she'd eaten lunch, she went back to the hospital, surprised to see Sakura, Naruto, and Sai there. Not to mention that Sai and Naruto had fresh bruises on their cheeks. _Did they get into another fight?_

"Hey, guys. I wasn't expecting you to be here." Her three teammates turned to her. Their expressions were hard to read, though she sensed some awkwardness. Sai gave her a knowing look, while Naruto looked down, and Sakura smiled nervously. Kakashi blinked at their reactions. The tension was almost thick enough to cut with a blunt kunai.

"We thought we'd visit Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said, a little too cheery.

"We were just discussing Sasuke." Sakura paled at the mention of their former teammate. She had tried to avoid that subject for the moment. She was afraid of bringing him up in front of Kaiya after the severity of their battle the day before. Kaiya stared at the floor tiles before looking back up at Kakashi. Her face was blank.

"Is that so?" Kakashi read his book without glancing up at her.

"Yes. I was just telling Naruto that he needs to get stronger than Sasuke if he wants to bring him back. Wouldn't you agree?" Kaiya bit her cheek, nodding.

"I've been in here thinking…I have special training in mind for someone like Naruto," Kakashi told them. "Well, it's actually only something Naruto can do." The blonde's eyes lit up, hopeful. "You might even be able to surpass me with this training, figuratively speaking." Kaiya's eyes lowered in question. Before Kakashi could explain, the door burst open, and Team Asuma filed in. Kaiya turned around, smiling as she jumped into her godfather's arms without any hesitation.

"Uncle Asuma!" He laughed, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"Kaiya! I should've known you'd be here. I heard you completed your first mission since coming back." She looked away, trying not to seem sour-faced. Asuma stared at her gently, ruffling her loose hair. She'd left it out of the braid since it was her day off. "Don't worry, kid. I might just have a way to cheer you up." He winked, making Kaiya smile.

Kaiya went with Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, and the others to Yakiniku Q, while Asuma stayed behind to talk to Kakashi. On the way, Shikamaru said that he had to go help his dad, but before he left, he stopped Kaiya. Resting a hand on her shoulder, he studied her as she turned to him. "What is it, Shikamaru?" she wondered. His eyes lowered.

"Look, Kaiya, this isn't my style, but…I should apologize for the other day," he said. She frowned. "You were right in saying that we never asked how you felt personally about any of this. We just wanted to know why you left and what you were doing because of our own selfish reasons. We were insensitive." Kaiya looked at Shikamaru, noting how much older he seemed. Though he still appeared lazy and bored with almost everything, there was a sense of maturity that had grown since she last saw him, though he did his best to hide it. She smiled.

"You know, Shikamaru, it's not really my style to apologize either. But I suppose apologizing to you isn't too bad." She stared down at the ground for a moment. "Coming back, even if it was against my will, I've seen how much everyone cares about me. Even people that I never thought would blink if I disappeared were affected by me leaving. I thought about the consequences when I ran away, but like I said before: If I had spent a great deal of time contemplating everything, I would have never left. I enjoyed my freedom, and I'm glad that I experienced everything that I did; I'm glad that I was able to become so much stronger than I ever would have here, and I wish that I would have completed my training before returning. But even so…" She looked at him pointedly, her eyebrows knitting together slightly. "I regret walking out on the people I care about. I regret not saying goodbye. And I regret pushing everyone away when I came back. I'm sorry, Shikamaru."

At her confession, Shikamaru was able to understand a little more about why his friend had left. And he knew then that leaving the village had been the best thing for her after all, and that at least she hadn't felt nothing when she did so. Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck, looking away.

"Well, we're all just glad you're back," he told her. "I'm glad." Kaiya grinned, and he returned it, before they parted ways. The others had already arrived at Yakiniku Q, so she reveled in the time alone, walking through the village that she had once wanted to watch over as Hokage. Nowadays, she knew that she wasn't fit or worthy to become the Fire Shadow. Speaking of which, she decided to stop by the cemetery to see the Third's grave, this time in new spirits. Surprisingly, Asuma was already there.

"Uncle Asuma?" He turned at the sound of her voice, his eyes lowering slightly in question, before a small smile graced his lips.

"Hey, look. Just the girl I wanted to talk to." He turned to face her, hands in his pockets. As always, a cigarette was burning between his lips. "Come sit with me, if you don't mind." He sat down on the memorial, patting a place next to him for her to join him. "The Old Man won't mind the extra company." Kaiya grinned, sitting next to him. She leaned back on her arms.

"What is it?" Kaiya asked, lifting an eyebrow in question. Asuma grinned, closing his eyes as he let the breeze blow around his spiky locks for a second.

"Since the others were able to corner you before you made it to the Hidden Rain, my guess is that your training wasn't completed." Kaiya pouted at the reminder of how she was bested and tricked into coming back to the Leaf. Her eyebrow twitched.

"Yeah, that's right," she replied. "What of it?" Asuma opened his eyes and rested a strong hand on her shoulder, gripping it lightly.

"I know you're pretty upset about it, and with your trainer being a criminal, you're kind of lost about what to do with the rest of your training, right?" She nodded, wondering what he was getting at. "Do you remember when I trained you briefly in the past?"

"Uncle Asuma…" He nodded, his grin widening.

"Alright, alright," he said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I know how you don't like people beating around the bush. What I was getting at was…I wanted to train you a little more. We could use the one-on-one time." Kaiya's eyes brightened for the first time in a while.

"R-really?!" She jumped up, clenching her fists in excitement. Asuma nodded again.

"Yeah," he answered. "So what do you say we get to that? I'm guessing you learn at a pretty fast rate these days." He took her to one of several training grounds littering the village. "Alright, let's get started. The first technique I want you to learn is my own Burning Ash."

…

After a week, Kaiya was able to successfully learn Burning Ash, as well as some other fire-style jutsus. She was busy training alone when Kido appeared before her. Kido was a small, grey wolf with midnight-blue eyes, coming up to Kaiya's knees. He was one of the only wolves who could shadow hop, which was an earth-styled technique only known to the uru-nin, allowing them to dissolve into the shadows and travel amongst them. That was how Kuro evaded detection for so long, and also how he escaped from the Leaf's prison. He was one of two humans who could perform the jutsu.

"You must have a message from Kuro-sensei," Kaiya noted, looking around to make sure no one could see them. She squatted to be nearer to the canine. "What is it, Kido?" The latter sat on his hind legs for a brief rest.

"Master Kuro brings a message that the Akatsuki are on the loose," Kido reported. Kaiya's eyes widened as Itachi and Kisame flashed through her mind. She gritted her teeth, but didn't say anything as the wolf continued. "He knows that you're good friends with the nine-tails Jinchuriki, so he sent word for you to stay alert. Also, he warned that they might even come for you. After encountering you, they may be inclined to try and use your power. While it's highly unlikely, he wanted you to keep your guard up, just in case. He says to stay sharp, and be wary should you go on any missions. Also, there's a possibility they might be coming to the Leaf soon." She nodded, trying to hide the distress on her face.

"Is that it?" Kido shook his head.

"One more thing." After a pause, he stood on all fours again. "Master Kuro says to be ready to leave the village at any given moment, as he is in contact with a possible trainer for you. But the trainer won't come to Konoha under any circumstances. Be on your best behavior so that when the time comes, the Fifth will allow you to travel once more." Kaiya nodded, her eyes lowering.

"Alright. Thanks." Kido bowed, then disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Letting out a small sigh, Kaiya stood to her feet and resumed her training. When she was finished, she walked past another training ground, where she saw Naruto, Yamato, and Kakashi. Curious, she walked over to them. "Hey, what's goin' on here?" she wondered. She was surprised to see Kakashi out of the hospital already.

"I was just explaining to Naruto about chakra natures," Kakashi answered. Kaiya lifted an eyebrow in disbelief.

"You mean he doesn't know about that yet? Man, Kakashi. What the hell have you been teaching him, then?" A sweat drop fell down the back of the silver-headed Jonin's head.

"Well, I, uh…" Kaiya crossed her arms, shaking her head. A small grin appeared.

"I mean, Naruto has to be an idiot not to have realized that stuff by now. And I was sure that perv Jiraiya would have said something about it. I mean, how can you train for over two years and not know any of that?" The blonde's eyebrow twitched; an annoyed tick appeared on the corner of his forehead. "I learned all of that stuff when I was a little kid. How pathetic do you have to be to—"

"Shut the hell up already!" Naruto shouted in irritation. He frowned at Kaiya, who sneered at him. "At least I can make more than one shadow clone!" Kaiya's eyes widened at the insult.

"Hey! I don't need shadow clones for everything I've learned. I can do it all myself! Besides, I'm not the one who had to steal a scroll of kinjutsu just to pass the Academy Exam!" Growling, Naruto turned away from her, Kaiya doing the same. Sighing, Kakashi shook his head, a defeated look on his face.

"Oh, boy," he muttered, at a loss. Kaiya stalked off, murmuring to herself about a 'knuckleheaded blonde idiot'.

…

"It's called kekkei genkai," Kakashi explained. "Haku had it too. He controlled both wind and water to create ice." Naruto nodded, scratching his head.

"So…Kaiya has it, then." Kakashi's eye lowered.

"She does have both fire- and earth-styled chakra," the Jonin noted. "But as far as a kekkei genkai—" Yamato cleared his throat, cutting him off. Kakashi turned.

"Actually, Senpai, Naruto's right. Kaiya uses lava style." His eye widened slightly. Yamato hadn't told him that earlier. "It slipped my mind when I reported back to you…I honestly thought you already knew, so I didn't think it was so important to tell." _Hmm…so she's gotten that far, then? Kuro is an amazing teacher indeed._ Shaking his head, Kakashi rubbed his neck.

"Well…I suppose it isn't that big of a deal," he decided, sighing. "Anyway, let's continue."

Meanwhile, Kaiya continued her training, just like Kuro suggested. If she was going to be seeing Itachi again in the future, she knew she had to be ready. Although, if she couldn't even take Orochimaru or Sasuke, there was no way in hell that she would be able stand against him. Hopefully, though, she wouldn't have to. _Maybe Master Jiraiya will stop them before they reach the Leaf, _she thought, punching at a tree post. _He's been studying them for a while now, so hopefully he's one step ahead of them. I can only hope…_

At the same time, Shikamaru and Asuma were playing Shogi. "So, have you and Kaiya made up yet?" Asuma asked, sliding one of his pieces across the board. Shikamaru watched his move intently, a bead of sweat sliding down his face.

"Yeah…we apologized to each other about a week ago. We both acted pretty stupid before, but I'm glad it's not hanging over our heads anymore." The older man nodded, letting out a groan as Shikamaru bested his most recent play. All of a sudden, he grinned.

"Kaiya thinks a lot of you, ya know," he said, staring at the board rather than his student. "She's often come to me talking about you, asking how your training was going. She says you have potential to be a great shinobi, but you're so damn lazy." Chuckling, he shook his head. A small smile crept onto Shikamaru's face.

"Heh. That sounds like her." He made his move. "Checkmate." Asuma slumped his head in defeat. Moments later, Naruto came running up.

"Hey, Asuma-sensei!" he called. The two males playing Shogi turned their attention toward him.

"What's up, Naruto? What can I do for you?" Asuma asked. Naruto stopped to catch his breath before answering.

"Can you…"

…

"I'll be heading out soon for a mission—Shikamaru and me both," Asuma told Kaiya, leaning against her window. He'd come by to check out her apartment and to hear how her individual training was coming. "It's the—"

"Akatsuki, right?" Kaiya finished, her back to her godfather. She clenched her fists as Asuma shot her a look of surprise. He straightened his posture slightly.

"How'd you know?" She sighed, sitting down at her table.

"A messenger wolf told me," she answered. "They're coming after Naruto, aren't they?" Asuma stood and approached her, resting a hand on her back lightly.

"They won't touch him, I promise. Or you. Not as long as I'm alive." Kaiya glanced back at him, a solemn expression on her face. After a pause, he continued. "You know, Kaiya…back when Itachi and that Kisame guy came to the village, and you were caught in the middle of the fight, I…I was afraid that they would kill you. I thought of myself as a failure of a godfather because I had to watch you get hurt over and over again, and I couldn't do anything to protect you. But I want you to know how proud I am that you're able to take care of yourself now. And I'm sorry for not being there like I wanted to be—like I should have been."

Kaiya sighed, bowing her head before turning around and getting out of her chair, wrapping her arms around him. He blinked, pulling her into his chest and holding her there. "You're not a failure," she assured him, her voice muffled by his flak jacket. "I was—_am_—just hardheaded and selfish. I know, and I've always known, that you always did your best to protect me. You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me, Uncle Asuma. Just promise you'll be safe on your mission. And take care of Shikamaru." He grinned. _I love you._

"I promise, Kaiya. And when I get back, we'll do some more training."

_How long will I be waiting to be with you again_

_I'm gonna tell you that I love you in the best way that I can_

_I can't take a day without you here_

_You're the light that makes my darkness disappear._


	18. Despair

**Wow, I updated in a week. That makes me look consistent. (But we all know the truth).**

**AlphaGirl1711: Well, that does make me feel special :) Honestly I don't know if I'd be much help to you lol. Sometimes I write a lot on paper and then transport it to my computer or elsewhere, or I just write out notes on my phone so that I won't forget. Never really tried to write an entire story on my phone. I'm not even sure you could upload it onto Fanfiction 0.0 ... but you could always try. I know you can edit on a phone or tablet, though. **

**Sorry for those of you wanting Sasuke in this chapter. He didn't fit in with it :/. I am reconstructing the next few chapters, so I don't know when I'll update next (not that I ever know). But I will throw in some Sasuke, because I miss him too. He is about to start showing up a lot more in the next few chapters. Thanks to all reviewers, and those who favorite/follow my stories. :)**

**Also, has anyone started reading the Naruto Gaiden manga? It's pretty interesting. And I'm glad to see Naruto all grown up :)**

_Tick tock, hear my life pass by_

_I can't erase and I can't rewind_

_Of all the things I regret the most_

_I do wish I'd spent more time with you._

Kaiya returned to Naruto's training sight, stopping as she caught sight of the cliff and waterfall that hadn't been there the day before. Her jaw slacked, her eyes reflecting amazement. She knew there was no way in hell that Naruto had done that, so it had to be either Yamato or Kakashi. And she was pretty sure the latter wouldn't put that much effort into a training exercise, especially one that was for someone else. Kakashi turned around, reading a book as he lounged against a tree.

"Hey, you're back." He looked up from his book. "You have an overnight bag? Were you assigned a mission?" Kaiya blinked, shaking her head as she tossed the back next to him.

"Uh, no," she answered. "I thought I'd stick around for a couple of days to watch Naruto's progress. And I brought you guys lunch. Sushi, on me. Just like I promised." She held up a plastic bag with three containers inside of it, full of warm food. Kakashi smiled cheekily. Kaiya raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Although…it doesn't look like you're sweating much, Kakashi. Seems to me Captain Yamato and Naruto are doing all of the work here. You remind me of Kuro-sensei. He did the same thing all the time." Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed.

"Overseeing Naruto's training is tiring in and of itself," he commented defensively. "Trying to explain each step is even more exhausting. It may not seem like it, but I've been doing plenty." Kaiya frowned in question, but it quickly turned into a smile.

"Yeah, yeah. I know, Copycat." After a few minutes, Kakashi glanced up at her.

"You know, speaking of training…isn't that what you should be doing? After doing it so much for so long, I'd think you'd be working hard to complete what you started. You were so disgruntled having to return to the village and not being able to finish, after all." Kaiya frowned.

"Are you insinuating that I'm not taking care of business?" she muttered, crossing her arms. Kakashi shrugged nonchalantly to her question. He flipped another page.

"Well, no, not exactly…" Kaiya waved him off, rolling her eyes as she sat next to him.

"_Please_. I've done enough training the past two-and-a-half years to last me forever. And for your information, I've been working all week—hard. Besides, I'm not on an official team, and since I really don't have a trainer anymore, I can pretty much train whenever I want." Letting out a sigh, she watched Naruto determinedly try to cut the waterfall in half. _Kakashi sure does have a lot of strange methods… Kuro-sensei was always so straightforward. It's weird to watch someone else train._

"You know, Kuro-sensei never gave me a day off," she continued, after a couple of minutes. Kakashi's visible eye drifted to her lazily as he took out his sushi box. "I trained all day in the hot sun or the freezing cold, the rain and ridiculous sandstorms; and we traveled at night, so I barely got any sleep. He put me on this strict, disgusting diet of protein and greens that would make you cringe—" She gagged just thinking about it, stuffing sushi in her mouth to take away the memory of the bad taste. Kakashi lifted an eyebrow, amused. "It wasn't all fun and games out there. In fact, it wasn't fun at all." She leaned back against the tree trunk, letting out a brief sigh as she continued to watch Naruto. "Of course, all of that training produced results. But for the moment, I'm tired of working. For once I'm going to take a little break and watch Naruto. Who knows? I might even pick up on something."

Kakashi's eye lowered slightly, then he turned back to his book. "To be honest, it sounds to me like you just want a vacation," he stated, turning another page. Kaiya pouted, her cheeks flushing slightly. Yamato, only a few feet away, laughed wholeheartedly at the exchange.

"She's a lot like you, Kakashi," he noted. "A lot." A sweat drop slid down the back of Kakashi's head.

…

That night, Naruto smiled as a shooting star flew across the sky. He looked over next to him, where Kaiya was lying on her own sleeping bag. Her hands were folded across her torso, and she stared up at the sky in wonder. Naruto chuckled gleefully. "I can see why you like this so much," he said. She tore her eyes away from the sight above her to stare at him. "It's even better than the sunset." She smiled.

"Yeah. I miss us spending quality time together, Naruto. I remember the first time we did this, I snuck out of the cottage by using clones and met you in the fields outside the village. Only one ANBU officer realized my trick, but by the time he found me, we were already asleep." _Itachi…you carried me all the way back home. You tried to pretend you were angry with me, but I called your bluff. I…I just wish I could call it now._ Kaiya smiled, laughing lightly at the memory. She didn't want to think about Itachi, not right now. Naruto smiled with her, and after a few minutes, she was asleep. Naruto closed his eyes, dreaming and wishing of Sasuke.

All of a sudden, his eyes shot open, and he threw his blanket off of him, laying it over Kaiya before standing to his feet and heading to the waterfall.

…

Kaiya suggested they take Naruto to Ichiraku to reward him for progressing so quickly in his training. Kakashi gave in after she offered to pay for everyone. Although, she began to regret her decision after Teuchi's new employees proved to be too incompetent for their work. Poor Naruto was about to die of hunger. But finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they managed to get it right.

When they returned to the training grounds, Kaiya—as well as Naruto—was shocked to see that Kakashi could use Rasengan. _He never told me that! Although…he isn't called the Copy Ninja for nothing._

Kaiya's eyes widened when the nine-tails' chakra started to leak through Naruto, but thankfully Yamato was able to repress it. Sweat dripped down Kaiya's forehead; she let out a breath of relief. _That was too close…Kakashi is prepared for pretty much anything, I see. That's just like him._

…

Sometime later, Kaiya caught sight of Sai watching Naruto nearby, so she walked over to him. His eyes lowered in question as she neared him, but her approach didn't seem threatening, so he stayed put. "Isn't he overworking himself?" Sai asked, staring at Naruto firmly. "He's been going at this for a while now." Kaiya smirked, crossing her arms as she turned to look at the blonde as well.

"Naruto will surprise you," she replied, shaking her head. "When he's determined, nothing can stop him." Her expression suddenly turned somber. "Sai, I…I want to thank you for not mentioning what I told you to the others." He glanced at her, a firm countenance on his face. It was evident that he had learned a few facial expressions since becoming part of Team Kakashi. "We may have gotten off on the wrong foot before, but it looks like you're ok now. The others are warming up to you, it seems."

"Well, I…" Kaiya's face hardened, just barely.

"But don't think that I've forgotten that you had orders to kill me," she reminded him, making him stiffen._ "There are some who fear your secret power, and after being gone so long with Kuro Kensei, they thought it would be best if you were silenced permanently." _"I'm not really sure if I can completely trust you yet because of that, but I'm willing to give you a chance. Just don't tell Naruto or Sakura the truth. It would break their hearts. I know what that feels like, and I don't want them to feel that kind of pain, especially Naruto. I couldn't live with myself if they found out and hated me because of it."

"Have you thought about what might happen should you succeed?" he wondered. Kaiya blinked. "What are they going to think of you then?" Kaiya lowered her eyes.

"I'm still figuring that out," she admitted, looking away uneasily. "I'll worry about that if—when—it comes to that. They'll never understand, but I'm hoping they'll at least forgive me…eventually." Sighing, she shook her head. She didn't want to think about that right now.

Instead, she held out her hand, and Sai stared at it for a few moments, before his gaze lifted to Kaiya. They shook hands once, and Sai smiled as he nodded. Kaiya started to frown, but then she noticed that this time, it was genuine. So she returned the gesture. A few moments later, Sakura showed up. She was confused seeing the two together, so she approached them.

"Hey, you two," she greeted, a basket full of what appeared to be giant food pills in her hand. Kaiya feared for the soul brave enough to try them. "What are you guys talking about?" Kaiya and Sai shared a look before Kaiya turned to Sakura with a grin.

"We were just making amends after the Tenchi Bridge mission," she answered. Sakura smiled.

"Well that's good. Now we can all be friends." Kaiya nodded.

"Yeah." _And friends keep each other's secrets._

…

"There's something else, Shikamaru." Asuma wheezed, coughing up blood as he struggled to speak. Shikamaru shook, leaning in closer to his sensei. Tears filled his eyes as dark clouds began to loom above them. He'd already said his last words to his students, but there was one last thing he needed to say. Shikamaru tried to make himself look strong, but it was too much. He could barely compose himself.

"What is it, Asuma?" he asked.

"Kaiya…tell her I'm sorry," he told him, in a raspy voice. Shikamaru's eyes lowered in question.

"K-Kaiya?" he repeated.

"That's right." Shikamaru had almost forgotten about her. She'd be crushed when she learned that her godfather was— "I promised her that I'd return safely and train with her, but…it doesn't look like that's going to happen." He took a few shaky breaths. "Tell Kaiya…what I…told you." Asuma's eyes closed for a brief moment. Shikamaru's eyes widened, tears sliding down his cheeks.

"_Protect my 'king!'"_

"I will, Sensei," he promised. Asuma grinned weakly.

"She'll be disappointed that I didn't keep my word to her…but at least…she will have someone to pass on my…Will of Fire to. The two of you…will protect my king…together." He coughed again, the blood spewing from his throat and down the corners of his mouth. "I know I said I'd quit, but…I'd like one last smoke…"

…

"Captain Yamato, help!" Once again, Yamato had to suppress the nine-tails' chakra. Kakashi and Kaiya landed beside him, making sure he was ok. Kaiya sighed in relief, crossing her arms as she shook her head.

"You're a real piece of work, aren't you?" she remarked. Naruto growled, baring his teeth as he pointed to her in disdain.

"Hey! I don't see you doing any training! Why don't you shut the hell up for once and go work on your own jutsu instead of criticizing mine!" A red glare flashed in Kaiya's eyes as she hissed, grabbing Naruto's throat and slamming him into the ground. He struggled against her grip, writhing on the ground as he fought to get away; she tightened her hands around his neck, making him gag.

"Listen here, _knucklehead_," she snapped, an annoyed tick in the corner of her forehead. "I've gone through training twice as hard as you have, and for longer! Not to mention that I grasped all of the concepts you're struggling with when I was seven! So why don't _you_ shut the hell up and get to work!" The two began to wrestle and tumble with each other, stirring up a cloud of dust as they did so. A sweat drop slid down the back of Kakashi's head; Yamato chuckled nervously. He couldn't see anything from his viewpoint because of the ball of dust, but he did catch what he thought was Kaiya giving Naruto a noogie at one point in their catfight, and Naruto pulling Kaiya's braid, trying to wrap it around her neck.

Kakashi sighed. "It's like babysitting children," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, you two…break it up." He grabbed each one of them by their collars, pulling them apart. They squirmed in his grip, trying their hardest to reach for each other despite the distance Kakashi put between them. After a couple of minutes, he was finally able to calm them down. Kakashi rested a hand on their shoulders, but before he could say anything else, Yamato called him.

"Senpai, we have to return to the village." Kaiya's eyes lowered as a shinobi that had just appeared left. She sensed something was off by the troubled look on the captain's face. _What could it be…?_

"Why? What happened?" Kakashi wondered. Naruto also seemed alerted, probably distraught that his training was being interrupted. Yamato looked at each one of their faces, his gaze finally resting on Kaiya. He seemed hesitant, but he knew that he had to tell them what was just reported.

"Asuma Sarutobi…" Kaiya's eyes widened, and her heart stopped beating; her breath hastened, and sweat trickled down her brow.

"_I'll be heading out soon for a mission—Shikamaru and me both. It's the—"_

"_Akatsuki, right?" _

"Asuma Sarutobi…has fallen." Yamato's eyes lowered; Naruto and Kakashi's eyes widened in shock. Kakashi's gaze drifted to Kaiya, who just stood there, eyes wide. She hadn't moved a muscle. There was a large knot caught in her throat that she tried desperately to swallow, but it did no good. Her eyes burned, her stomach tangled, her lungs contracted. This isn't real, she told herself. There was no way in hell that this is real…

"That's not true." Kaiya clenched her fists, her mouth finally able to form words. The others turned to her in question.

"W-what?" Yamato stammered, confused. Kaiya's passiveness suddenly turned to aggression.

"Asuma's not dead," she snapped, swiping her arm in front of her. "He promised he'd come back safe. You're lying." Kakashi sighed, bowing his head as the grip he still held on her shoulder tightened.

"Kaiya, I know it's a hard pill to swallow, but y—" She shoved him away forcefully.

"Don't touch me!" she shouted angrily, taking several steps back. Kakashi's hand froze. Her breathing hastened, her head began to pound. Everything around her swirled violently as sweat continued to slide down her face. "You're lying! Asuma's not dead!" Before anyone could say anything else to her, she took off. Naruto immediately tried to follow her, but Kakashi blocked his path.

"Don't, Naruto," he ordered, his eyebrows creasing. "Let her go." Gritting his teeth, the blonde pointed after her.

"Why should I?!" he argued. Kakashi frowned. "The last time you told me to let her go, she ended up leaving. She's my best friend! I can't just 'let her go'! Not again." Kakashi remembered when she'd yelled at him, the night she left the village. He truly thought then that he could fix everything.

How naïve he was.

Naruto was right. Something needed to be done. But he also knew that she needed time to grieve in her own way. At this point, she was still in denial. Sighing, Kakashi placed his hands in his pocket slowly. "You're right, Naruto." The latter frowned. "When I told you that before, I was wrong. Instead of helping Kaiya, I ended up making things worse. You have every right to hold that against me." Naruto's hard expression lifted. _Kakashi-sensei…_ "To be honest, I blame myself for her leaving. I was insensitive and blind to her feelings. But this time is different."

"How?" Naruto wondered. Kakashi closed his visible eye, bowing his head.

"Back then, she was dealing with personal failure," he explained. "Kaiya saw herself as insignificant, unable to do anything to help Sasuke." The blonde's eyes narrowed sadly at the mention of his teammate. "She felt personally responsible, but she projected the blame on others to keep from admitting how she felt. She didn't want to admit to herself that she was weak. It was her way of grieving. However, this time, she's dealing with the loss of a loved one. This has nothing to do with her. There's no internal battle going on prompting her to leave and seek a solution elsewhere. Right now, she just hurts and needs to be alone."

"…" Kakashi stared at his feet, his jaw set tight. _Asuma… Kaiya would never admit it, but she loved you. You were someone she looked up to, someone she cared about with all of her heart. And now that you're gone…_

"Kaiya is no longer the girl she once was," he continued, lifting his gaze to his student. "No doubt she'll handle things differently this time. It's best to leave her alone for now, but I'll speak to her once she accepts what's happened. This isn't something that I can take lightly. Asuma was very important to her." _Just like Sasuke was…and I won't be making the same mistake twice._

…

Kaiya ran through the village, stopping to catch her breath near one of the apartment complexes, in an alley. She was still in denial, fighting off the possibilities that Asuma was really gone. _I won't believe it…it's just not true. It _can't _be true._ Kaiya straightened up to walk home, when she halted at a half-step. About a meter in front of her she saw Shikamaru and Kurenai engaged in conversation. She couldn't hear it from where she was at, but at that moment, Kurenai burst into tears, falling to her knees, her back to Kaiya. Shikamaru caught her, setting her gently on the ground; he rested a hand on her shoulder.

He happened to glance up, meeting Kaiya's eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, a knowing and guilty look on Shikamaru's face. Kaiya shook her head, taking several steps back before turning around and sprinting away. At the park on the other side of the village, Kaiya stopped, collapsing next to a tree. She clawed at the dirt, the overbearing sense to cry filling her like a floodgate. _Asuma, how could you…_

"There's no greater evidence that you've grown up than this." Kaiya, shaking, lifted her head to glare at Kakashi, who was standing over her with his hands in his pockets. "You haven't cried once since returning to the village," he pointed out. "I'd think that it would be unavoidable for you at this point. You let your emotions run loose a lot before you left." She looked away stubbornly.

"You're making fun of me at a time like this, but wasn't it you who told me to 'dry my tears'?" she reminded him, leaning against the tree trunk. "I'm just following your advice, right?" Kakashi's eye lowered.

"_Kaiya, dry your tears… From here on out, you're going to have to stop thinking things are going to work themselves out on their own. It's time for you to start making things happen yourself." _

"That's true, I once told you that." Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. "I didn't come here to lecture you, Kaiya. And I definitely didn't come here to make fun of you. I came here to make sure you were alright." She scoffed.

"My godfather just died. Do you think I'm alright?" she grumbled, crossing her arms. Her expression changed from anger to lament. "He promised he'd come back safe," she said in a small voice. She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them, like she used to do when she was younger. Kakashi sat next to her, letting out a sigh as he wrapped his arm around her. "It's the Third all over again."

"And just like back then, I'm here for you, Kaiya. Don't ever doubt that."

…

At the funeral, Kaiya watched as Naruto comforted Konohamaru, who was crying, just like he had been with the Third. She stood next to Kakashi, who had his hand on her shoulder. She stared blankly at Asuma's coffin, a tired and melancholy look in her dark eyes. _Shikamaru isn't here…_

As time went on, she couldn't take the heartache. Shaking, she squeezed her eyes shut and turned around, pressing her face into Kakashi's chest. His arms slowly wrapped around her, holding her close against him. He lowered his head sadly. _Asuma… _Naruto's eyes drifted to Kaiya briefly. He wanted to do something to help her, but there was nothing he would be able to do to cheer her up. Only time would heal her wounds.

...

"I figured I would find you here." Kaiya stood in the ankle-deep grass of one of Konoha's many fields, watching the lilies sway as the mellow breeze carried them back and forth. Shikamaru was there, lying on his back with his arms behind his head, staring at the clouds, as usual. Only this time, he was smoking a cigarette. Kaiya's eyes lowered. "Those are bad for you, ya know."

Shikamaru regrettably took his eyes off of the sky, glancing at Kaiya's unreadable expression. Though her face was stoic, it was evident in her eyes that she was miserable. He looked away quickly. "Do you blame me?" Kaiya blinked.

"Huh?"

"I couldn't save Asuma…he was your godfather. You should blame me for his death, right?" Kaiya stared at her feet, before sitting down next to him. She closed her eyes as she laid on her back slowly.

"I suppose I _could_," she concluded, letting out a deep sigh. Shikamaru frowned slightly, but he remained silent. "But you and I both know that Asuma wouldn't want me to…besides, _I_ don't want to." His eyes widened slightly as a smile appeared on her face. "My godfather respected you more than most of the adults in this village, Shikamaru. And so do I. There's no way I could blame you for something like this." After a pause, she went on. "We're shinobi…we might die at any moment. We live life on the edge, knowing that today might be our last. That's just the world we live in. It's painful, but…life goes on. It's like the Old Man used to say…"

"_When a tree is cut down, the forest doesn't stop growing. When a fish is eaten, the river doesn't stop flowing. When a shinobi dies—even the Hokage—their comrades do not stop enduring. Even when a leaf falls from the tree, the tree continues to grow and produce more leaves; each year those leaves will wilt and fall away, but always, new leaves will bud anew… There will always be new leaves to replace the ones lost."_

_It's so unreal_

_Didn't look out below_

_Watch the time go right out the window_

_Trying to hold on but didn't even know_

_I've wasted it all just to watch you go._


	19. An Open Door

**Long time no update. Hehe. Thanks everyone for the support of this story, as always. I appreciate the reviews, favorites, follows, and messages I receive :). **

**Guest: I know, right! He was so cool. Naruto is a very emotional story, which is part of what makes it so good ;)**

**AlphaGirl1711: :) Hope your exams went well!**

**And thanks to everyone else!**

_I don't want to feel like this tomorrow_

_I don't want to feel like this today_

_Make me feel better, I want to feel better._

"You really should be more careful when training, especially with Naruto," Kaiya scolded, wrapping Kakashi's severely burned hand with gauze. Her eyes lowered at the injury. _That's some jutsu Naruto has, _she thought, _and it's not even complete. That knucklehead really is something…_ Kakashi grinned, chuckling nervously.

"Well, to be honest, I've been out of the teaching game for a while now, so I'm a little rusty. Still, Naruto's managed to get this far in a short time, so I guess I'm doing something right. His jutsu was even more powerful than I anticipated. I wasn't prepared for it, obviously." Kaiya didn't smile, keeping her focus on his hand rather than him. Kakashi's smile faded slowly. It had only been a day. She hadn't made eye contact with him since the funeral. "Kaiya, are you alright?" Of course she wasn't.

"How could I be?" she replied solemnly, continuing to carefully apply the bandages all the way to his right elbow. Kakashi sighed, rubbing his neck with his good hand.

"I know you loved Asuma. I know you're devastated." She paused for a moment as her hands shook, then she continued her first-aid. Since she wasn't particularly good at chakra control, there was no way she could ever become a medical ninja. So instead, Kuro had taught her how to nurse wounds, from simply cleaning a cut to performing emergency surgery. Of course, she would need the right tools, and she wasn't as effective as a medical ninja, but she was better off than most.

"He was my godfather. Am I supposed to feel differently?" Her voice was low and somber. Asuma's death was still a fresh wound on her heart. Kakashi shook his head.

"Of course not," he told her. "My point is, you should express your grief. It's not healthy to keep it bottled inside. Mourning doesn't make you weak, Kaiya. No one is expecting you to just get over it." Sighing, Kaiya tied the gauze firmly, standing to her feet abruptly.

"To me, there's no difference between grieving and being weak." She walked to the end of the hallway of his apartment. She had come by to move her things into her own apartment down the hall, when she saw his injured hand; she volunteered to wrap it for him, though now she almost regretted it. Clenching her fists, she kept her back to him. "Grief was always my weakness. And I can't afford to go back to the person I was," she said quietly, staring at the wooden floor beneath her bare feet. "If I allow myself for one moment to give in to the pain of my heart, it'll be like nothing's changed. The whole reason I left was to become someone different, someone who doesn't think with my emotions. Kuro-sensei told me that crying over a shinobi lost in battle was an insult to their honorable life and death on the battlefield." Kakashi frowned as he stood to his feet.

"I don't want to hear what Kuro said. I want to know what _you_ feel, Kaiya." He studied her as she tensed. "I used to be in the same position as you are now, so you can't tell me this time that I don't get it. I didn't want to show any weakness; I was afraid of what it might lead to, after I watched my father slowly deteriorate and then kill himself, after I let my two teammates die on my watch. I'm not going to stand by and let you do the same." Kaiya started to take a step forward, but Kakashi wasn't finished. "You need to release your anger and pain one way or another. The more you hold it in, the bigger chance there is that you'll end up hurting someone you care about—or yourself."

Kaiya shook, shivering from holding back all of her emotions for so long. But she wouldn't let go. She wouldn't cry. Not ever again.

"This is who I am now, Kakashi," she retorted, after gaining her composure. "If you don't like it, then…" She closed her eyes for a moment. Her back was still turned to him. Kakashi's eyebrows knit together; he crossed his arms.

"I'm curious to know whether the Kaiya you're showing everyone now is really you, or if it's a mask you put on to fool everyone into thinking you've changed, because you don't want anyone to see the fear inside of you that you were never able to face."

Kaiya's eyes widened.

_"What kind of shinobi cries? Admit it, Kaiya. You're weak. You were always a coward, and you always will be. No time away from the village will change that."_

_"Little Kaiya, don't be afraid… In fact, why don't you just give up now? Give in to the terror and darkness that threaten to consume you. Give in to your fear." _

Kaiya whirled around to face her former guardian, anger in her eyes. But was it really anger, or was it just a façade? "Fear?" she repeated, indignant. "I'm not afraid of anything!"

"Think about it, Kaiya. Push your pride aside for just a moment to discover who you _really_ are—who you've _always_ been. Stop lying to me, and stop lying to yourself. It's ok to be vulnerable once in a while. We're shinobi, but we're humans too. We're not invincible." Kaiya turned back around and stomped off without a word, locking herself in her old room, making sure to slam the door so that Kakashi knew how pissed she was at him, as if he couldn't tell without the gesture. Sighing, he scratched the back of his head and groaned. _Well, one thing hasn't changed: She's still as stubborn as I remember._

An hour later, Kakashi went to check on her, since she hadn't come out yet. He knocked on her door, and it creaked open. His eyebrows knit in confusion as he took a step inside. _She must have unlocked it,_ he noted. _Although she wouldn't have done so if she were still here. But she never came out—at least not through the door… _As he suspected, the window was wide open, indicating that she'd left that way. However, what he wasn't expecting was what he found when he entered her room.

Kaiya had taken to turning her room upside down—everything was in shambles. Her bed and dressers were overturned; her closet was ransacked, and her bookcase disheveled. Sighing, Kakashi stood amid the mess, deciding what he would pick up first. "This isn't what I meant when I told her she needed to let out her anger." _But at least she's expressing it._

He'd forgotten how hard being a parent was after so long. Especially to a teenager.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Kaiya, there's someone you need to meet." A twenty-one-year-old Asuma took six-year-old Kaiya by the hand and led her to one of the many people who attended her father's funeral a few days before. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was the same man who had taken her out of her family's compound the day of her father's death. He'd asked her a lot of questions. "This is Kakashi Hatake," Asuma introduced to her. Asuma's long, unkempt hair blew in the small breeze as he stared up at his old classmate and friend. His father had already explained to him that Kakashi was to be Kaiya's new guardian soon, instead of him, her godfather.

When he'd questioned what was wrong with him, as he'd thought the Third just assumed he was irresponsible and incapable of taking care of a child, Sarutobi explained his reasons: He had already committed to being one of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi, and he wasn't going to allow him to drag Kaiya along into that kind of danger. Secondly, he was too immature. Hiruzen wanted someone who had experience being a parent to take care of Kaiya. He chose Ringo Nohara to be her overseer because of his ideal home location, where she could be safe, and also because he had been a parent for many years. He also planned on having Kaiya leave the village to train, and since Ringo was retiring, he would have time to do it. But what surprised Asuma the most is what the Third said next:

"Kakashi Hatake will be Kaiya's guardian. He will monitor Fenikkusu's activity." Asuma had asked why, since Kakashi was the last person he would have thought would want a babysitting job. "Kaiya seems to have an attachment to him," his father had told him. "He was the one who comforted her at her most vulnerable time. I think it will be good for both of them."

That was a week ago, the day after the tragedy. He had no idea how his father convinced someone like Kakashi to be Kaiya's guardian, but he was sure if anyone could do it, Hiruzen could.

"Nice to meet you—officially, that is." Kakashi smiled behind his facemask, but Asuma could tell that he was just as nervous as Kaiya, who took a step back and looked up at her godfather in question. It's not that she was scared of him (although, he couldn't say the same for Kakashi); she just didn't know why she was seeing him now.

"H-hi…again," she murmured, pressing her cheek against Asuma's leg. The latter chuckled.

"Kaiya, you and Kakashi are going to be living together soon," he explained. Her eyes lowered. "He and a couple of others are going to be looking out for you from now on. Do you understand?" She nodded, hot tears sliding down her face.

"But why can't I live with you, Uncle Asuma?" Her voice was shaky. She felt betrayed; she couldn't understand why her own godfather wouldn't want to take her in. Asuma sighed, squatting on the ground to get closer to her. He rested a hand on her head, ruffling her short, brown hair. She squeezed her eyes shut from the force he used, but it gave her a strange sense of comfort.

"I really wish you could, kid. But I have duties to the Land of Fire—dangerous duties. To be honest, the only reason I was in the village was to see you inducted into the Academy…but then the attack happened, and I stayed this long to make sure that you were gonna be alright. But now I have to get back to my job." Kaiya bowed her head in disappointment, staring at her feet. Asuma's eyes softened as a small grin crept onto his unshaven face.

"I'll miss you," she whispered sadly, pouting as she rubbed her eyes. Asuma brought her into his chest, wrapping his large arms around her smaller body. Kakashi stood and watched the exchange curiously, hands in his pockets. _He's probably taking notes,_ Asuma realized. He looked down at Kaiya tenderly before speaking.

"I'm gonna miss you too, kid," he replied. "But don't worry. Kakashi and the others are going to take good care of you. I promise that you'll all get along." Leaning in closer, he added quietly: "And you know what? Kakashi needs someone to take care of him just as much. You'd be good company." After much contemplation—as much contemplation as a six-year-old could give—Kaiya took a step away from Asuma slowly, nodding her head. Smiling, Asuma pushed himself to his feet, looking back at Kakashi and nodding. "You'll be fine, Kaiya. I'll see you soon." He ruffled her hair once more and walked away, waving without looking behind him. Kaiya watched him leave with tears in her eyes. Kakashi rested a hand on her shoulder lightly, and she looked up at him.

"What do you say we head back?" he suggested. "I have something to show you, if you're up to it." Nodding, Kaiya took him by the hand, and he led her to the K.I.A. wall.

OOOOOOOOOO

Kaiya sat outside the Nara compound, her back against the wall; one foot lay on the wooden veranda, and she brought the other up to her chest, resting her arm on top of her knee. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes as she listened to Shikamaru shouting and throwing things on the inside of the compound. Moments later the door slid open, and Shikaku stepped out. His eyes drifted to Kaiya, who was listening to Shikamaru's cries. Without saying a word, he turned and walked away, a small smile sliding onto his scarred, aged face.

_He's crying for the both of you, isn't he…Kaiya?_

She didn't know how long it had been. It was the middle of the night now. Kaiya opened her eyes when she heard the weeping stop, lowering her eyes to the ground. Shikamaru stepped out sometime later, and she could sense a new determination about him. Glancing up, she smirked. "You're going after them, aren't you?" she asked knowingly. Shikamaru turned, surprised to see her there.

"Kaiya…how long have you been out here?" She shrugged, standing to her feet slowly. She stretched, looking up at the full moon above them.

"A while," she answered, letting out a small sigh. They studied each other for a minute before she spoke again. "Be careful, Shikamaru. I can't lose you, too." The latter's eyes narrowed.

"How did you know—"

"You really think that I'd believe you'd just let this go?" she cut in, crossing her arms. Shikamaru paused, his mouth open slightly in question. She chuckled. "I would do the same thing. And you know that. In fact, I would be going with you now if it wouldn't get me thrown in prison." Her expression changed to a somber one as she averted her eyes to her feet. "I'm counting on you, Shikamaru." She grinned, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck." Kaiya walked off, hands in her pockets. Shikamaru called her back. She looked behind her.

"Asuma-sensei wanted you to know…he's sorry." Her eyes lowered in thought. "He's sorry that he couldn't keep his word to you about returning safely. And he apologized for not being able to spend more time with you. He wanted you to know that he loved you, and…" Shikamaru paused. He didn't think it was the right time to tell her about the 'king'. "He had another message for you, but I'll have to save that for another time." She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Hmm. If that's the case, then we'll go out for barbeque later, and you can tell me," Kaiya decided. She grinned and waved before disappearing.

…

"I'm sure you're aware that Team Asuma went after the Akatsuki that killed Asuma," Tsunade said, crossing her arms on her desk. Kaiya nodded, clenching her fists.

"Yeah, I know," she answered bitterly. The Hokage nodded.

"I know you're disappointed that you couldn't go with them. I'm actually surprised that you chose to obey my orders instead of joining Shikamaru." Rolling her eyes, Kaiya crossed her arms.

"Well, I really don't want to spend the rest of my life in jail, ya know. Besides…I trust Shikamaru to handle the situation." She paused, gritting her teeth. What she wouldn't give to be there with Team Asuma kicking the Akatsuki's ass. "No disrespect, Lady Tsunade, but can you tell me why I'm here? I was hoping I could get in some early training." Tsunade lowered her gaze. _Kakashi said she likes to train more when she's upset._

"Actually, training is exactly why you're here." Kaiya blinked, confused. Tsunade tried to hide a grin, knowing that Kaiya would go ballistic when she heard the reason the Hokage wanted to see her. "I received a message from a very interesting man the other day—a man I thought died a long time ago. He asked for you to join him in Ookami Valley so that he can train you. This is a very high honor, and I don't know how he heard of you, but…" Tsunade's eyes lowered. "If you haven't heard, your master escaped prison shortly after you and Team Kakashi set out for Tenchi Bridge." Kaiya's eyes widened, and she stifled a gasp. She knew she had to act surprised, so as not to give away the fact that she knew.

"W-what?! Kuro-sensei escaped? But how is that—" Tsunade searched her carefully, but as far as she could tell, she was legitimately shocked. Kaiya thanked her lucky stars. "That bastard. Just leaving out of the blue like that while I'm away…" She growled, crossing her arms. Tsunade pursed her lips, her eyebrows creasing.

"Hmm. Perhaps he did so hoping that you wouldn't be blamed for associating with him," she suggested. "In that case, he acted in your favor." Kaiya's eyes lowered. That was probably true, knowing him. Even though he would never admit it, he tried to help Kaiya out as much as he could, without actually looking like he was. "Anyway, my guess is that he escaped and contacted this man who asked to train you—who's even harder to contact than Kuro himself—and convinced him to become your new master." Kaiya nodded.

"Wouldn't surprise me," she said. _Mostly because I already knew._

Tsunade sighed, leaning back in her chair. "This is the perfect opportunity for you," she told the teen. "Your teammates are both off training; they've already become Jonin. I'd hate for you to be left behind when you have so much potential."

"But you said…"

"I know what I said," Tsunade growled, frowning. She crossed her arms. "I told you to regain my trust, go on missions, and give everyone time to forgive you. So far, you've done all three of those things. Even though I still don't have the full story of what happened on your mission with Team Kakashi, I believe that you showed great restraint in the face of your greatest enemy. As far as I'm concerned, it's given you enough leeway to train outside of the village." Kaiya's eyes began to brighten. "However…" Kaiya frowned. She knew there would be a catch. "I'm requiring two escorts to take you to your destination." Kaiya lifted an eyebrow.

"Uh…ok." Kaiya crossed her arms. She wasn't happy about having escorts, but at least she was allowed to leave the village and train. _Kuro-sensei must've convinced that guy to train me, then,_ she thought. _He must be pretty good if even Lady Tsunade knows about him._ "Well, who are my escorts? Kakashi and Guy?" The Fifth shook her head. "Shikamaru and Naruto?" Tsunade chuckled, shaking her head again.

"Wrong again. Why don't I just let them tell you?" Before Kaiya could make another comment, Tsunade's door slowly opened to reveal two ANBU Black Ops officers. Kaiya groaned.

"You're kidding me! Do you seriously think that I want these bast—"

"Whoa, now!" the shorter officer shouted. "We're not that bad, are we, Kaiya?" The latter's eyes widened. The young man who'd just spoke had the Cloud insignia on his left arm. He and the taller officer next to him had the same hair, and she could see the same grey eyes peering down at her through their porcelain guises. Kaiya's jaw slacked as they took off their masks.

"Ronin-sensei!" Kaiya grinned, running into his arms. She hadn't seen him since she returned to the village quite a few weeks ago. Ronin chuckled, wrapping his arms around her.

"Long time no see, kid. Guess you forgot about me, huh?"

"Well, you've been away for a long time," she pointed out. Ronin nodded.

"Yeah, I suppose I have." Yoshi cleared his throat, looking away as Kaiya's eyes fell on him. She grinned, walking away from her former sensei to wrap her arms around his younger brother. Yoshi almost fainted, his face turning a deep shade of red.

"Hey, Yoshi. I missed you too."

"…" He was too love-struck to reply. A sweat drop slid down the back of Ronin's head as Kaiya let go. _Yoshi looks like he's melting. If she had held on any longer, we would've had to find a new escort._

"Let's get down to business, then," Tsunade suggested, standing to her feet. She looked at the three shinobi before her. They nodded, turning their attention to the Fifth. "Ronin and Yoshi Arashi, your mission is to escort Kaiya to Ookami Valley. Make sure she doesn't attempt an escape, and make sure that she is safe. Also, if you come across the rogue ninja Kuro Kensei, arrest him." Kaiya's eyebrows furrowed slightly. _There's no doubt that Kuro-sensei will be there…but I have no way of warning him. I just hope he catches on._

The Arashi brothers saluted. "Right!" Tsunade nodded.

"You'll be gone for a while, Kaiya. I suggest you say your goodbyes to your friends and pack well."

When they were dismissed, Yoshi walked Kaiya to her apartment while Ronin went to prepare for their journey. She kept behind him a step or two, blushing as she watched him saunter through the streets casually. She couldn't help but think of how attractive he looked in his ANBU uniform, making her heart flutter.

She mentally slapped herself. It hadn't been the first time she'd thought about him in such a way, but it was the first time she let her thoughts wander so freely. Perhaps it was because she was feeling vulnerable after having lost Asuma. _You idiot! Don't fall for that kind of thing! The last time you did…_

"So, uh…why did Lady Tsunade bring you from out of Kumo?" she wondered, avoiding eye contact. "You're in the ANBU…I wouldn't think you'd be able to leave so freely and help out someone from another village, especially since our villages don't exactly get along." Yoshi looked back at her and grinned, making Kaiya blush. She hadn't seen him in a while, but the same uncomfortable feeling she got when he looked at her was still there.

"Ronin asked me if I'd go with you," he answered, scratching his cheek. "He wanted someone the two of you—as well as the Hokage—could trust. The Raikage would've ripped off my head, but since it was a favor for my brother, and since our clan is one of the most respected in the Cloud, he allowed it." Kaiya nodded.

"I see. So, where is Ookami Valley anyway? I've never heard of it before."

"It's on the northern-most border between the Land of Forests and the Land of Valleys. It'll take a while to get there, even with a shortcut."

"Shortcut?" she repeated. Yoshi nodded.

"You'll see. Anyway, do you want to say goodbye to your friends? It'll be a while before you see them again." Kaiya sighed, nodding her head.

"Well, I guess I should."

Most of Kaiya's friends were gone on missions or busy training: Team Asuma, along with Kakashi, were still off fighting the Akatsuki outside the village. Naruto was training with Yamato; Sakura and Sai were with them. Kaiya was anxious to get on the road, so she decided to leave notes for them instead. She did run into Kiba though, on her way out of the village. Kiba, who was walking Akamaru, stopped when he caught sight of Kaiya standing with Yoshi. They'd just come from the Hyuga compound and were on their way to the gates to meet Ronin.

Kiba's eyes lowered as he sized Yoshi up, approaching them casually. "Hey, Kaiya," he greeted, crossing his arms. Akamaru barked. "What's going on?" When Kaiya saw him, she smiled.

"Kiba! You're the only one I've been able to see so far." He raised an eyebrow. "I'm leaving the village for a while. I'll be training with a new master, so I wanted to tell everyone goodbye. They're all busy though, and I don't have time to wait for them, so I've been leaving them letters. But I get to say goodbye to you in person." She hugged him briefly, making Yoshi stiffen. Kiba smiled knowingly at him, and he looked away. When Kaiya let go, she frowned.

"I guess you two haven't met," she noticed, turning back to Yoshi. "Kiba, this is Yoshi. He's Ronin-sensei's brother. They're both coming with me on my trip."

Something inside Kiba boiled, and he glared at Yoshi, bearing his teeth. Yoshi blinked, his eyebrows knitting together. Electricity passed between their eyes as tension began to rise. They were both silent for a long time. Kaiya noticed the sudden awkwardness, and a sweat drop slid down the back of her head.

_Uh…am I missing something here? Why are they looking at each other like that?_

Finally, Yoshi spoke. "Nice to meet you," he grumbled.

"Yeah, same." Kiba turned his attention to Kaiya, his expression softening. "So, uh, I guess I'll see you when you get back then." He paused. "You are coming back this time…right?" Kaiya chuckled guiltily, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I really don't have a choice." She shrugged.

"We'd better go, Kaiya." Yoshi rested a hand on her arm lightly. Kiba stared at it pointedly.

"Right. See ya, Kiba." The latter nodded, and Yoshi and Kaiya turned and walked away. When they were out of earshot, Kiba growled.

_That bastard… Who does he think he is, trying to move in on Kaiya like that? How the hell does he know her, anyway?_

_This ain't goodbye_

_This is just where love goes_

_When words aren't warm enough to keep away the cold._

**Ok, so really quick... I know how I want to end this story, but I kinda want it to end tragically. Would you guys prefer a tragic or happy ending?**


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